To Wish for Happiness
by zaicheek
Summary: Kaoru attempts to help Misao get over Aoshi, not knowing that her stay at the Aoiya might potentially make matters worse... AK
1. An Invitation

Hi! Sadly, Rurouni Kenshin doesn't belong to me. This fic was written for the sole purpose of enjoyment... so I hope you enjoy it and tell me what you think of it!

* * *

Kaoru propped the broom against the wall, surveying her dojo. She had already swept the floor, and the only thing left to do now was for Yahiko to mop it. It had been a busy day for them. She was pleased that several students have been coming regularly. The extra money she earned went into their meals, which they could afford regularly now.

"Of course, it's still a challenge cleaning up after a day of teaching kendo," she murmured as she stepped outside. She watched as Kenshin did the laundry while Yahiko played with Suzume and Ayame a little distance from them.

"Are you tired, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked.

"Iie," she said, shaking her head. "I'm just waiting for Yahiko to mop the floor. Come on, Yahiko!"

"Matte, Kaoru, can't you see I'm playing with the girls?" Yahiko called out, hoping that his excuse would allow Kaoru to leave him alone.

_Fat chance,_ Kaoru thought. She hopped down from the porch and walked over to the girls. "I'll play with them while you work on the floor," she said, smiling. There was nothing more fun than watching Ayame and Suzume toss paper balls to each other.

Yahiko stalked off grumpily as the little girls laughed. Kaoru laughed as well, kneeling down so that she could look them in the eye. "Now, what were you three playing anyway?" she asked. "Those paper balls look nice. Did your grandfather get them for you?"

"Hai," Suzume said, nodding. "A patient gave them to him as souvenirs, and he gave them to us." She tossed the ball to Kaoru, who tossed it to Ayame. The little girl ran after the ball, almost losing her balance before she caught it safely in her hands.

Kaoru laughed. "That's good," she said gently. "A little more practice and you'll be able to run as fast as Suzume-chan, little Ayame."

Suzume laughed as well, and Kaoru tossed her a paper ball. She looked over at Kenshin, noting that he was watching them. She threw him a wink. "You stopped working," she said teasingly. "Want to join in on the fun?"

Kenshin smiled and waved his hand, which was wrinkled from the water. "I'll finish this first, that I will," he said merrily. "And after this I have to go into town to get tofu."

Kaoru stood up and looked at the afternoon sun. "It's getting late," she said. "Maybe we can just have some of those fish we had for lunch so you wouldn't have to go to town anymore…"

"It's all right," Kenshin said. "I think I want to take a walk anyway. Besides, I have to drop Ayame and Suzume at Gensai-sensei's."

"I see," Kaoru said. She turned her attention back to the girls, but before she could resume her game with them, she felt someone standing outside the gate. "Someone's here," she said to Kenshin, but it was unnecessary. The former hitokiri was already walking towards the gate.

"I sense a strong ki," he said calmly to her. "Stay back, Kaoru-dono."

Kaoru did not heed him, and followed a few paces behind him. Behind her, the girls continued playing, oblivious to the intruder. Kenshin opened the gate cautiously, and then his face broke into a warm smile. "I did not expect to see you here, my friend," he said, opening the gate wider.

Kaoru's eyes widened when she saw who their guest was. "Shinomori-san!"

It was indeed Aoshi Shinomori, but somehow it was also not him. He was still wearing his white coat, but the long sheath that housed his twin kodachi was nowhere in sight. His expression was still that of stoicism, but his eyes were clear and sharp. "Himura-san," he said in greeting. "I've come from Kyoto to ask a favor."

Kenshin raised his eyebrows. "A favor?" he repeated.

Aoshi paused. "Actually, it's Okina who is asking for it. I've come with a letter from him to Kamiya-san."

At this point, Kaoru stepped forward to greet him. "Shinomori-san, please come inside. You've come a long way."

"Thank you, Kamiya-san," Aoshi said as he stepped through the doors. He handed her a letter. "I think you should read this first before I start explaining anything."

Kaoru took the letter from him, noticing Okina's writing on it. "Come in and have a seat," she said.

Kenshin led Aoshi to the porch of the dojo, where they both sat. Ayame and Suzume finally noticed the visitor, and they stopped playing to gaze at the tall man. Kenshin smiled and introduced him. "Ayame-chan, Suzume-chan, this is Shinomori-san, a friend of ours. He came all the way from Kyoto."

"Is that far, Ken-nii?" Suzume asked.

"Hai," Kenshin said, nodding. "That is why Shinomori-san is very tired. We'll just sit here and watch you play."

Kaoru gazed at them before going to her room to change. She had been cleaning the dojo all morning and her gi and hakama were dirty and soiled. She changed into a kimono and tied her hair up in a tidier ponytail. Sitting down on the floor, she opened Okina's letter and read through it quickly.

_Kaoru-san, I hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits. I am sorry to say that I cannot say the same about Misao-chan. She has been feeling a little lonely lately, and I am sure that it is because of Aoshi. He has been staying with us for months now, and I know that Misao still loves him. However, his lack of reciprocation has taken its toll on her, and she has been unusually quiet lately. It's not Aoshi's fault… one cannot force another person to feel a certain way, I suppose. But I'm concerned about Misao. She rarely goes out of the Aoiya now. I would very much appreciate it if you can come here and spend some time with her. I'm sure your high spirits would be enough to get her back into the main stream of life. I hope you accept my invitation and stay with us here at the Aoiya. We would love to have you here. Sincerely, Okina._

Kaoru frowned upon finishing the letter. "Misao-chan," she murmured, remembering the spirited girl. It was hard to imagine her quiet. _Of course I'll go to Kyoto. Misao-chan doesn't have that many friends who can understand her._

She knew Okina had asked her to come for that reason. It was no secret that she loved Kenshin, though he never reciprocated it. However, over the months they had spent together, she had learned to deal with it, accepting him as he was and acknowledging that their love for each other will never be that of a man and a woman. _Misao-chan just needs to realize that,_ she thought. _Sometimes, we cannot have what we want because it's not meant to be. Something better will always come along…_

She folded up the letter and rocked on her heels, deep in thought. Going to Kyoto would mean that she would have to leave her students. _Just when things are picking up… but Yahiko can take over. It's true that he still has much to learn about Kamiya Kasshin, but he knows enough to guide them through the basics. I wonder how long I'll be gone._

She stood up and went outside, wanting to talk to Aoshi. She assumed that since he came to deliver the letter himself, it meant that Okina wanted her in Kyoto as soon as possible. He had sent Aoshi to fetch her.

She found the two swordsmen conversing, but they stopped when they saw her. Kenshin stood up, smiling. "Aoshi won't tell me yet about what is in the letter. I didn't want to press him, either. I'll leave you two to talk while I go into town to get some tofu. I'll drop off the girls, too. Come, Ayame-chan, Suzume-chan. Your grandfather misses you already, that he does."

Kaoru waved as the girls followed Kenshin outside. Then she sat down on the porch beside Aoshi. She went straight to the point, knowing that Aoshi was not one for small talk. "I read the letter," she said softly. "I had no idea that Misao-chan would ever fall quiet," she added, hoping to make it sound like a light joke.

"Aa," Aoshi said. "I'm sure Okina told you the reason why she has gotten like this…"

She could sense his discomfort, so she smiled to reassure him. "He did," she admitted. "He also said that you were not to blame. Misao-chan just… can't hold back. I've known her for only a short time, but it's enough for me to realize that she is the kind of person who gives it her all. Both of you did not do anything wrong, but her emotions just became too much for her this time. She needs to pull back a little."

He nodded. "That's what we all try to tell her. She just shakes her head, saying that we don't understand."

"Do you?" Kaoru asked him.

It took him several moments before he could answer. "I think so," he said slowly. "It's the same with me, but in a different way. When I used to fight before Himura-san knocked me back into my senses, I fought for the sheer pleasure of it. I always gave it my best shot, and when I encountered Himura-san, he told me to pull back. My over-extension led to my defeat."

Kaoru nodded, remembering the time they fought at Kanryu's mansion. "Misao-chan needs to realize that, too," she said. "You all care about her. She knows that, too. I don't know exactly how I can help her, except to tell her about my own experiences and how I managed to cope with them."

Aoshi met her eyes, and she saw the amount of concern in them. "I'm really grateful that she has someone like you, Kamiya-san," he said. "It must be hard for you to leave your home for some time. If there is anything I could do…"

"There is," Kaoru said, seizing the opportunity to befriend him further. "You can start by calling me by my given name."

His cobalt blue eyes widened slightly at her suggestion before his impassive mask slid back onto his face. "Only if you start calling me by mine," he answered, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Kaoru beamed. "Good. I'll be going back to Kyoto with you. When are we leaving?"

"As soon as you are ready," Aoshi said.

"Tomorrow morning, then," Kaoru decided. "I have to pack some clothes, and leave instructions for Yahiko regarding the dojo. You can spend the night here. We are always open to friends, Aoshi-san."

"Arigatou, Kaoru-san," Aoshi said, bowing to her. "We'll leave tomorrow morning."


	2. Kyoto Arrival

Standard disclaimers apply. Rurouni Kenshin isn't mine!

* * *

Kaoru frowned before boarding the train that would take her and Aoshi to Kyoto. "I'm sure I'm forgetting something," she murmured.

Yahiko, Sano and Kenshin looked at her expectantly for a moment, then Sano shook his head as if to clear it. "What have you got to worry about, Jou-chan? We've got everything under control. What can possibly happen to us?"

Kaoru eyed them warily. "You three men alone under one roof would do wonders to my nerves." Then she sighed, blowing her hair out of her eyes. "I guess I can count on Doctor Gensai to check up on you once in a while. I want my dojo neat and intact when I return!"

"Don't worry, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin said merrily. "We'll take care of everything. You just do what you have to do…"

"I still can't believe you won't tell us why you're going to Kyoto," Yahiko complained.

"You're much too young to understand," Kaoru said, teasing him. Kenshin was the only one she had told the truth to, and he agreed that Sano and Yahiko didn't have to know it. "Well, I'd better get going or Aoshi-san and I will run out of good seats. Sayonara, minna, I'll write to you once in a while."

She gave them a final wave before boarding the train. She found Aoshi already seated, and he had gotten good seats for both of them. He stood up when she approached, to make way for her, giving her the window seat.

"Arigato," she said as she settled down. "But you didn't have to pay for my train ticket."

"You're our guest," he replied indifferently. "And we asked you to come."

She nodded. "But Misao-chan is my friend, too. It's a treat for me to come to Kyoto."

They fell into silence as the train lurched into motion. After a while, the busy city gave way to the scenic country. Kaoru used the time to think about what lay ahead of her.

_This is a delicate situation_, she thought. _Misao is too attached to Aoshi. I wonder how I can help her along. She's younger than me. What made me move on past Kenshin, anyway? I don't even know. I just woke up one day realizing that he would never love me that way, and it was all right with me. Maybe I can convince Misao that other things might happen, other possibilities, beyond Aoshi. But will she be willing to accept that? She's too strong-willed…_

Aoshi cleared his throat, and Kaoru glanced at him. He was looking at her thoughtfully, though only his eyes showed that he had been thinking, too. "Kamiya-san, no. I'm sorryKaoru-san," he said, correcting himself.

"Hai?" Kaoru asked, amused that the quiet man was a little flustered at having to use her given name. She gave him an open smile to encourage him to speak.

"I want to talk to you about Misao, before you speak to her," Aoshi said.

"Oh," she said, turning her head towards him. "What do you want to tell me?"

He hesitated. "You must feel a little confused about what to tell Misao. Specially since you know the reason for her depression. I don't want you to think that I am oblivious to it. I know why Misao has gotten quiet lately, and it is because of me."

Kaoru nodded without speaking, and he went on. "However, I cannot bring myself to treat her the way she wants to be treated," he continued. "I think it would be cruel to give her false hope that I might one day love her as a woman."

"Can't you?" Kaoru asked. Then she stopped herself. "Sorry, but I just wanted to hear it from you…"

He shook his head. "Misao will always be my little girl," he said simply. "That is why I am much burdened by what has happened. I love her dearly, but at the same time, I am also causing her pain. It was Okina who thought of sending for you, but I am the one who is most glad that you came. I don't know what to do with Misao anymore."

Kaoru gave him another warm smile. "Don't worry, Aoshi. Girls have these depression spells sometimes. Believe me, I know. I've been through some of them," she said, giggling a little. "But we always get through with a little help. Do you have any idea what Misao and I can do for fun in Kyoto?"

"There is the mountain nearby," Aoshi said. "It has trails good enough for hiking. I go there sometimes to meditate. There are also caves there that you can explore. It's perfectly safe."

"That's nice," Kaoru murmured. "I think Misao and I will have a grand time."

The corners of Aoshi's mouth turned upwards slightly, and Kaoru didn't miss it. She giggled again. _Not only do I get to spend a vacation in Kyoto with Misao-chan, I also get to see a side of Aoshi I haven't seen before. It's a little funny._

She turned her attention back to the scenery that was flying past their window. "I intend to spend some days in town," she said aloud. "I want to buy souvenirs for Kenshin and the others. I hear they sell these beautiful paper dolls in Kyoto. I want to get those for the little girls… Maybe Misao can help me look for them…" Her voice trailed off as she thought about her upcoming plans. Her mind wandered, and soon, she fell into a deep sleep.

She woke up feeling herself being nudged gently. She opened her eyes to see Aoshi touching her elbow lightly. "We're almost there, Kaoru-san," he said quietly.

"Oh!" She straightened up, and looked around. "You're right. I fell asleep."

"You must have been tired."

She shrugged and fixed her hair, which had gotten rumpled. "Thank you for waking me. It looks like you're a natural babysitter."

"Aa," he said in mock agreement.

The train rolled into a stop, and they disembarked. Aoshi looked around, but with the volume of passengers that had traveled with them, there were no other carriages left. "Sumimasen," he said to his charge. "We'll have to wait until the other carriages get back."

Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "We can just walk, Aoshi-san," she said. "We walked to the station before, too, when I was here last."

"It's a good three miles," Aoshi warned her.

Kaoru lifted her chin. "You may look at me and see a girl, but I am also the Assistant Master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu! Three miles will be a piece of cake for me."

She noticed Aoshi raise an eyebrow at this, but she ignored it. Holding her pack of clothes under her arm, she started walking in the direction of the Aoiya. Aoshi followed her, carrying her other pack of clothes. He had offered to carry both her packages when they disembarked from the train, but she insisted on helping him. _I suppose I'm not used to being treated like a lady,_ Kaoru pondered as they walked. _I really don't mind, though._

"Kamiya Kasshin…" Aoshi murmured.

"What?" Kaoru asked.

"I was just thinking about your style of fighting using bamboo swords," Aoshi said. "I must admit that it seemed impossible at first, but I changed my mind when Misao told me about how you beat Kamatari of the Juppongatana."

"What do you think about it now?" Kaoru asked.

"I still prefer real Japanese swords," Aoshi said. "But I also like your style and how you manage to see the enemy's weak point and attack from there."

"But isn't that what you also do? Every swordsman attacks his enemy at his most vulnerable point," Kaoru said.

"Aa," Aoshi agreed. "But you managed to win against a fully armed enemy using only part of a bamboo sword. That is something, Kaoru-san."

"It's nice to hear that from you," Kaoru said honestly. "You've changed a lot, Aoshi-san. Do you still use your kodachi?"

"When I go out to work. I work as an investigator for the local police department now," Aoshi said. "I find it stimulating, using my mind to hunt down criminals and syndicates all over Kyoto. It gives me enough practice, keeping my skills in check in case another situation arises."

"Another situation," Kaoru murmured as she remembered Makoto Shishio's plans. "Do you think something similar to before would happen again?"

"It's always a possibility," Aoshi said.

"But with people like you and Kenshin around, there's nothing to worry about, I guess," Kaoru said lightly. She shifted her bundle to her other arm, and shook her head again when Aoshi offered to take it.

"The marketplace is over there," Aoshi said, changing the subject. He pointed to a row of stalls that displayed various goods. "You might want to do your shopping there. They give good prices, or so Omasu tells me."

Kaoru smiled as she imagined Aoshi himself going to the market to buy goods. The idea seemed so foreign to her, looking at the stoic man beside her. "Gomen," she said, waving her hand as Aoshi looked at her quizzically. "It just feels nice walking here again. I felt so welcome here when I first came. It's a shame the others can't come with me."

"They could have, I'm sure Okina would have extended the invitation to them."

"Even if he did, I'd rather come alone," Kaoru said. "I want to have some quiet time with Misao." She glanced at him, noting the crack in his impassive mask. For a moment, his jaw had tightened in apprehension. "Everything will be all right, Aoshi-san. Trust me."

He nodded. They continued on their way to the Aoiya, making small talk in between moments of silence. Kaoru found it enjoyable, delighted that the quiet man had some interesting things to share such as his knowledge about the different kinds of tea. Time passed quickly, as did the three miles, and she soon found herself staring at the gates of the Aoiya.

"It looks different than last time," she said.

"We built things a little differently after Fuji destroyed it," Aoshi said. "We converted it to a restaurant-hotel, adding more rooms. The back part, however, is not rented out to tourists, and that is where we stay. Right now there are few guests. Most of them are travelers that only spend the night."

He opened the gate for her, and she was enthusiastically welcomed by no less than Okina. "Kaoru-chan!" he said, giving her a warm hug. "It's so good to see you again! Thank you for accepting our invitation."

"It's good to be back, Okina-san," Kaoru said brightly. "The Aoiya looks beautiful."

"It was my design," Okina said proudly. "Come in. Aoshi! You let her carry her bundle all the way from the station…"

"It's a light one," Kaoru said quickly. "And the fabric has a womanish design. I don't think it would look good in Aoshi's hands, Okina-san! Where is Misao-chan?"

"Upstairs, in the back. She mostly spends her time in her room now," Okina said. "You can go and see her right after you freshen up."

"I think I'll go see her now," Kaoru said.

"I'll put your things in your room," Aoshi said, reaching Kaoru's bundle for the third time that day. Kaoru relented and let him have it before going to Misao's room.

"Misao-chan?" she said, before sliding the door open. She found the younger girl lying on her belly on an open futon, reading a newspaper in front of her. "What are you doing staying away from my arrival?" she chided, sitting down beside the girl.

Misao looked up with a smile. "Kaoru-san! I didn't know you were coming today. I actually didn't know if you were coming at all. I told Jiya I'm fine, but he insisted that I feel lonely so he sent for you."

Kaoru laughed. Misao seemed the same, only slightly subdued, which was not ordinary for her. "Of course I would come! I love it here," she said. "I was also curious about what happened to you… why are you cooped up in here in the first place?"

Misao sighed, and sat up. "I'm not dumb, Kaoru-san," she said. "Jiya thinks that I am feeling a little sad about Aoshi-sama…"

"Are you?" Kaoru asked.

"I don't know," Misao answered. "It's been more than a year since he came back to us and he is still so distant. I thought I could bring him back to his old self, the one who took care of me, the one I fell in love with, but it's not happening."

"He just needs a little more time," Kaoru said gently. "There's no need to be upset about it. He's been through a lot, remember?"

Misao nodded. "The problem is, I am too much attached him and I can't bear his silence. So for the past few weeks, I've been staying here by myself, thinking about why he remains so… distant."

"Oh," Kaoru said, frowning in thought.

Misao shook her head. "I really don't know what I'm thinking," she said. "Maybe you can help me sort things out, Kaoru-san. Jiya was right in sending for you, I must admit. Seeing you already makes me feel better, because I know you're the one who can understand how I feel."

"That's good," Kaoru said. "How about we go down and have something to eat? I'm a little hungry, and I want a sample of your restaurant's excellent food."

"All right," Misao said, getting to her feet and following Kaoru out.

They found the kitchen empty, but the table was laden with food ready to be eaten. Kaoru took a rice ball and bit into it, relishing its taste. "The rice you have here is better than the ones we get in Tokyo," she murmured. "Or maybe it's just because I can't cook it right…"

Misao settled in front of her, and they both ate heartily. Okina entered the kitchen with Aoshi, and they paused at the sight of the two girls eating. "Misao! I haven't seen you downstairs since yesterday," Okina said in delight.

"Kaoru-san got hungry," Misao explained, flashing a look at Aoshi.

"Hai," Kaoru said. "Misao-chan was nice enough to lead me to the kitchen. Would you join us?" She shoved the plate of rice balls to Aoshi, whom she knew was just as hungry as she was.

Aoshi took a rice ball for himself and sat on the table, a little distance away from Misao. "Arigato," he said. "I have placed your things in your room, Kaoru-san. It's the first door on the left, in the south corridor."

Kaoru nodded, not speaking since her mouth was full. After she had swallowed, she looked at Okina. "Okina-san, I was thinking about going into town tomorrow to do a little sightseeing. Do you think Misao can accompany me? I remember that we didn't have much time for sightseeing when we were here last time."

Okina was delighted. "Of course!" he said, clapping his hands. "Misao knows the best places."

Misao seemed to brighten up at this, and Kaoru felt happy. "I need to rest tonight," Kaoru said. "Maybe we can start out at around nine in the morning tomorrow, ne, Misao-chan?"

Misao nodded. "Hai. I'll take you around town."

"Good," Kaoru said, leaning back and suppressing a yawn. "You'll have to excuse me for the rest of the day, I'm tired."

"Of course, Kaoru-san," Okina said. "Go on upstairs…"

She stood up and smiled at the three on the table. "Oyasumi, minna," she said before going up to her room. _It feels good to be in a new place after spending months at home. I just wish I wouldn't miss Kenshin and the others so much…_

_

* * *

_

So... my second installment. I hope you like it. I hope you're still reading this fic, haha.

Thanks a lot to those who responded to my first chapter: princessyoukai and jen. I like the AK pairing a lot, and there aren't that much fics about them. I'm hoping to contribute something to the list! There's an AK group on yahoo? Sure I'll join!

Till my next chapter...


	3. Ninja Lessons and Frilly Aprons

Standard disclaimers apply. Rurouni Kenshin isn't mine, it belongs to Watsuki-sama.

Here's the third chapter… enjoy!

* * *

Going to bed early caused Kaoru to wake up earlier than usual. The sky outside her room was still dark, though the tinge of violet in the horizon signaled the approaching day. She sat up and stretched her arms over her head, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. _I can take a bath while everyone is still asleep. At least I'll be done by the time Misao-chan wakes up._

She got a robe that hung on a rack near her bedroom door, seeing a seal of the Aoiya on it. It was probably one of the robes they sold to the tourists that stayed. She quickly changed into it and exited her room, hoping not to have any difficulty in locating the baths.

She crept downstairs, navigating herself through the unfamiliar halls by feeling her way along the wall with her hand. She found the exit to the back yard, and she grinned, proud of herself. "I may suck at cooking, but I'm definitely better than Sano with directions!"

Then she frowned. The backyard of the Aoiya contained several small bath houses, and she had no idea which one she could use. _I suppose some of them are for private use, while some are for the guests. Hmm… I should have asked Misao last night about it._

"Good morning, Kaoru-san."

"Gaah!" Kaoru said, almost jumping out of her skin. She whirled around to see Aoshi behind her. "Mou! You scared me…"

"Sumimasen," he said apologetically. "You are up early."

"I thought of beating everyone to the baths," she said lamely. "I thought I was the only one awake…"

He raised his arm to point to a bathhouse that stood in the far corner of the lot. "That one is for private use. It's the one Misao uses. Do you want me to heat water for you?"

"Iie, I'll just bathe quickly," she said, flashing him a quick smile. _You sneaky ninja…_ "Arigato, Aoshi-san. See you later."

Kaoru let herself in the bathhouse, locking the door behind her. It wasn't that she thought someone would peek…_Who would, at this hour?_...but she was accustomed to living with three males. She filled the tub with water and immersed herself completely. "This feels nice," she murmured, rolling her shoulders to get rid of the tension there. She scrubbed herself clean, and when she felt the cool morning air and shivered, she quickly rinsed. She dried herself thoroughly, donning on the robe again, and she cleaned up the bathhouse. _At least I should leave in the way I found it._

She let herself out, and was surprised to see Aoshi there, too. He had used the adjacent bathhouse and finished at the same moment as her. She grinned. "I told you I could wash quickly."

"Aa," he said, eyeing her.

"Are you going to work today?" she asked as they walked back to the Aoiya's living quarters.

"I don't think I have a case. I'm just going to drop by the station."

"Are you walking with us to town?"

"I don't think so," he said.

"Maybe we'll just run into you there." She lifted her hand in thanks again, before returning to her room.

She passed the time by organizing her clothes, a task which she had not finished the previous night before falling asleep. She carefully folded her kimonos and stacked them on one of the dresser tables in the room. After she was done, she felt the hunger in her stomach. The sky was already brighter, and the sun was starting to appear over the horizon. Kaoru went to the kitchen to find herself some food.

She found Aoshi again, by himself, eating a loaf of bread while reading something intently. His back was to her, and a smile crept to her lips as she thought about getting back at him for startling her earlier. She wondered how the former okashira would react, but she couldn't resist trying. She slipped off her sandals, walking barefoot. She stalked him, walking silently until she was a mere foot behind him. "Ohayo!" she said gaily, leaning forward a little.

If he was surprised, he didn't show it. He merely turned around to gaze at her for a moment before returning her greeting. "Ohayo." He turned back to what he was reading before remarking, "Don't you have a pair of sandals in your room? I'm sure Okina told Omasu to put a pair there for your use."

Kaoru frowned. "Mou!" She hurried back to retrieve her sandals before sitting down on the table opposite him. "I didn't surprise you one bit, did I?" she confronted him.

He raised his eyes to meet hers. "Were you trying to?" he asked.

Kaoru sucked in her breath. _He might have gotten his senses back, but he's still arrogant like before! _Then she realized by his prolonged eye contact that he was actually teasing her. "Mou!" She said again, breaking eye contact with him and reaching for a piece of bread herself. "I was."

"You have to be a lot quieter than that. I could hear you breathing," he said.

"You could?" she asked. "I thought I was being very quiet. You ninjas sure have a better way of moving around."

"Of course. That's our way of life."

Kaoru eyed him mischievously. _Way of life, is it? I'll ask Misao to teach me how to sneak around, and before my visit ends, Aoshi, I promise I'll surprise you at least once._

"Nani?" he asked her, spying the look on her face.

"Nothing," she said innocently. "This bread is so tasty I could eat it even without cheese. Where do you get it?"

He was still eyeing her warily, but he answered her anyway. "We have it delivered from the local bakery."

"It's really good," Kaoru said, reaching for another piece. "Misao-chan! Ohayo!"

Misao had come into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Ohayo," she replied. "You two are up early."

"Probably because I slept early," Kaoru said jokingly. "Are you up for a trip to town today?"

"Sure," Misao said. "Just the two of us?"

"Hai," Kaoru said. "I can't imagine bringing Okina-san along… I get the feeling he'll only chase after the girls there."

Misao shrugged. "All right." She joined them at the table, glancing at Aoshi as she sat down.

Kaoru sighed inwardly. _She's so different whenever Aoshi's around. Was I like that with Kenshin?_

Aoshi immediately finished his breakfast and stood up from the table. "I'm going to the temple to meditate before I attend to my business," he told them. "You two be careful in town."

"Hai, don't worry," Kaoru answered, for Misao had fallen silent. "You take care, too."

He left them without another word, and Misao collapsed on the table, burying her head in her hands and forgetting the bread that she was holding. Kaoru reached over to pick up Misao's bread. "What's wrong?" she asked unnecessarily.

"You saw him," Misao said sadly. "I come into the room and he leaves it not a minute later. He couldn't even look at me straight in the eye anymore."

"Misao-chan, you silly girl," Kaoru said, hauling Misao's face off the table and placing the bread back in her hands. "Hasn't it occurred to you that Aoshi-san is feeling a little awkward?"

"But why would he?" Misao asked. "We've known each other for years."

"Exactly," Kaoru said. "And lately you've taken to staring at him instead of talking to him. It would make me feel strange if someone suddenly acted that way towards me." She imagined Sanosuke doing that and she shuddered. "Why do you get tongue-tied around him? You didn't use to before."

Misao sighed. "Kaoru-san, I look at him and I just can't help thinking why I feel this way. I have loved him for a long time, and I keep wondering why I'm not good enough for him to love."

"Do you honestly believe that he doesn't love you?" Kaoru chided her.

"No…" Misao said reluctantly. She took a bite of her bread. "I know he does, but… not the way I want him to. He still treats me like his little Misao."

"I know what you mean," Kaoru said gently. "I felt the same way about Kenshin too, remember?"

"How did you deal with it?"

"I tried to weather it out," Kaoru answered. "I still care for him, but I've mellowed down a little. I think, after reaching the pinnacle of my emotions, there's nowhere else for me to go but back down on level ground. I've begun to accept that Kenshin might never love me as a woman. I've also begun to consider myself open to other options…"

Misao's green eyes grew wide. "Other options?" she repeated. "Are you… do you mean…"

Kaoru shrugged. "Unfortunately, at the moment, there are no other options available yet." She flashed Misao a grin. "But my spirits are still up."

"I'm not ready for that yet," Misao said. "Next to Aoshi-sama, all men pale in comparison."

Kaoru waved her hand. "Let's forget about Aoshi-san for the moment and have fun in town, Misao-chan."

"You go ahead, Kaoru-san," Misao said quietly. "Gomen nasai, but I don't think I want to go out today."

Kaoru looked at her friend, dismayed. "But …what's the point of going to town by myself? I was hoping you can help me look for souvenirs for the others."

Misao smiled. "Gomen," she said again. "Perhaps tomorrow. I really don't feel like it at all today. If there is anything else I can do to make you feel better…"

"I have an idea," Kaoru said, a slow smile creeping onto her face. "Why don't I just stay here with you today, and you can teach me something new."

"What?"

"Well… I'm quite curious as to how you ninjas can move around so quietly. Maybe you can teach me how to do that? It would be a useful skill," she added, thinking of how she was going to try and catch the former okashira off guard.

"Stealth?" Misao asked, surprised. "Well… of course, I suppose. Are you sure you want to stay at home today? It's so early still."

"I'm sure," Kaoru said firmly. "Now teach me some of that stealth you ninjas are so proud of."

Misao gave her a smile. "You can't fool me, Kaoru-san," she said. "I know you're itching to go around town. Why don't you go out for the morning and come back here for lunch? Then I promise to teach you all of the ninja skills that I know."

"Promise, huh?" Kaoru said, returning the younger girl's smile.

"Hai," Misao affirmed. "I want you to have fun."

"All right," Kaoru said, getting up. "I'll be back later."

Kaoru spent the morning looking around the town, watching out for the items she wanted to get for Kenshin and the others back in Tokyo. After dropping by the Shirobeko to see Sae, she started on the walk back to the Aoiya, holding a package in her arms. She had promised to eat lunch with Misao.

_So much for asking Misao to accompany me. She was willing to do so yesterday, but her mood was ruined this morning. She's so vulnerable right now, it's very different from what I have seen of her before._

"I thought Misao was going with you," a deep voice said behind her.

"Aoshi-san," Kaoru said without turning around. "She changed her mind," she said lightly. "You came from the police station?"

"Aa. No work for me yet, so I decided to go home." He fell into step beside her, eyeing the package she was carrying. "Are you going to let me carry that for you?"

"Iie," she said, holding the package tighter.

"Souvenirs?"

"Iie," she said again, a little amused this time. _Why do I like teasing him? Maybe it's because I never get a reaction out of him._

"I'm not asking anything else," he muttered.

Kaoru laughed at this. She imagined that it must have been this way with Misao and Aoshi before, with Misao teasing him and Aoshi replying in the same stoic manner. "Nothing personal," she assured him.

"What happened to Misao?" he asked.

"Three guesses," she said, glancing sideways at him.

"She lost the mood to go out," he said. "Was it because of me?"

Kaoru stopped laughing, and sighed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "Not really," she said. "Of course, you're such a strong stimulus for her. Merely seeing you is enough to set her thoughts moving to who knows where. It's a phase, Aoshi-san. She's dealing with the idea that you might not love her the way she wants you to. She's starting to consider it, and in doing so, she becomes like this. Moody. Pensive and thoughtful."

"I understand," Aoshi said. "I feel guilty."

Kaoru nodded. It mildly surprised her that Aoshi was actually beginning to tell her about his thoughts, but she was pleased. She knew she couldn't help Misao without understanding Aoshi. "I would, too, if I were you, even if I hadn't done anything wrong," Kaoru said. "Have you tried talking to her?"

"I don't know what to say to her." He paused. "But I'm planning to speak to her once I have organized my own thoughts into words."

"Don't rush," Kaoru said. "It's better for you to think things through rather than attempt to solve the problem at once with a faulty solution. Misao did promise to do something with me this afternoon, so at least she will be occupied."

They reached the Aoiya, and Aoshi opened the gate for her, letting her step inside the grounds first. Kaoru went inside to find Misao and Okina in the dining area. They both looked up when she entered. "Tadaima!" she called out.

"What's that?" Misao asked, eyeing the bulky package.

"Aoshi! You made her carry the package all by herself again," Okina said in disapproval.

"I didn't want to give it to him," Kaoru said. "I thought he'd find out what it is, and ruin my surprise."

"Surprise?" Okina said. "What is it?"

Kaoru ripped the package open and held up several orange dresses that came with white aprons. "What do you think?"

"That's… that's the uniform of the servers at the Shirobeko," Misao said in astonishment. "Why do you have those?"

Kaoru was grinning. "I thought I'd work there part time to save enough money. I walked around town today and I saw several things that I want to buy for my friends. I didn't have enough money, so Sae-san agreed to hire me as a part time waitress."

Misao laughed. "I can't imagine you as a waitress," she said.

Kaoru laughed with her. "They'd better be glad I'm not the cook," she said good-naturedly. "I'm going to start working there the day after tomorrow. I'll be there every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday."

Misao was shaking her head. "You do surprise me a lot, Kaoru-san. Lunch is ready. What do you say we start eating and then afterwards I teach you…"

"All right," Kaoru said, cutting off Misao before she had a chance to reveal their pending ninja lessons to Aoshi. She patted her stomach. "The truth is, I'm really hungry right now. All that walking around exhausted me."

Misao grabbed her hand and led her to the kitchen. Kaoru looked back at her Shirobeko uniforms, wanting to take them upstairs to her room first, but Aoshi was already gathering them and putting them back into the package. "I'll take these to your room," he said.

"HHai. Arigato," Kaoru managed to choke out before Misao had dragged her away completely.

End Chapter.

* * *

Thanks to those who reviewed:

Wolf Sapphire – I'm still trying to work out exactly how Misao feels about Aoshi. She's still in love with him at this point, but she's also thinking that it's not going to get anywhere. I'm having a hard time on how to write it, so sometimes Misao's characterization is a bit confusing… but I'm working on it. Hey, this isn't related to my fic, but I have an original fiction wherein one of the characters is named Sapphire?

Jen – I sent you email! Yes, Aoshi is a bit OOC, I know, haha. But I took the liberty of making him a little more open this time, though he still is so reserved that he sometimes comes out as aloof.

Clemen – Sure, I'll try to update as often as I can without compromising the quality of the story. You can be sure that I'll be updating at least once a week, at the rate I'm going.

Just-sum-one – I used to be a K&K fan before and my first 3 RK fics are about them. Then I read an AK pairing and now I kind of like them too, because their personalities could somehow complement each other.

Anonymous – I also thought if Kenshin and the others could visit Kaoru as a surprise… Right now, I don't know if I can work that in, but I'm still sorting out the middle part of the story.

Bloody Shinobi – Thanks for thinking it's good… more chapters to come soon.

Till my next chapter…

zaicheek


	4. Hitting the Target

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin isn't mine! This fic is written purely for enjoyment…

* * *

Kaoru looked down at her bare legs and crossed her hands over them as if to cover them. "Do I really have to wear this, Misao-chan?" she asked pleadingly.

Misao looked at her hard. "Hai. You can't expect to pull any ninja moves wearing a hakama!"

"But… my legs feel so… exposed," Kaoru said, looking down once again. "And I feel like a boy."

Misao looked a little insulted. "I dress that way a lot. Are you saying I look like a boy?"

"Eh, of course not, Misao-chan," Kaoru said, waving her hands and straightening up. "All right, I'll bear the outfit. Yahiko would burst his sides laughing if he sees me like this."

Misao approached her, holding several kunai in her hands. "Now, these are the daggers we use for throwing at a target." She gave Kaoru a kunai and pointed to a dummy serving as a target several meters away. "I thought we could start with some of the basic skills such as aiming."

Kaoru looked at the kunai in her hand. "I'm supposed to throw this to that target?"

"Hai. Try it."

Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "Here goes…" She aimed as best as she could, and threw the kunai hard. It reached the target, hitting it near the center, but bouncing off the board. "It fell," she said, disappointed.

Misao didn't look discouraged. "It was your first try," she said. "You've got perfect aim, Kaoru-san. You just need practice with the follow through, to make sure that the projectile runs smoothly enough and straight enough to pierce the target. But you've got a very good aim."

"That comes from throwing buckets at Yahiko and Sano," Kaoru said, giggling. Feeling more encouraged, she took another kunai from her friend. "How do I work with the follow through?" she asked.

Misao stepped behind her. "You make your arm move in a perfect arc, using great speed, so your kunai hits the target straight on with enough force to pierce it. It takes a lot of practice."

Kaoru nodded, taking a deep breath. In one fluid motion, she threw the kunai at the target again, and this time, to her delight, it stuck to the target. She brightened up. "I did it! At least, a little bit," she said as an afterthought when she saw how precariously her kunai was hanging from the target. After a couple of seconds, it fell to the ground. She sighed.

Misao chuckled. "You're improving, Kaoru-san," she said brightly. "I had to practice that for months before I could throw it accurately. You're not a stranger to martial arts, and I know you have the right kind of discipline, so I'm sure you'll be able to get the hang of it soon. Now let me teach you some of the moves we make. I know you're a kendo instructor, but it might also be good for you to learn kempo."

Kaoru blanched. "Kempo?" she croaked out. "Uh, Misao-chan, I don't think I'm ready to learn that. Really, I just wanted to learn how to move as quietly as you…"

Misao waved her hand. "Come on, kempo is fun. Look at it this way… it will give you an edge to learn it. Look at Aoshi-sama. He knows kempo but he also knows how to use a sword. Anyway, I'm not going to let you try any of the advanced stuff. It might be a good idea to start out with some of the footwork."

"You have a point," Kaoru murmured. She looked at Misao, glad that the girl was at least in high spirits today. She knew Misao took pride in being one of the Oniwabanshu, and sharing her skills as a ninja with Kaoru was fun for her after spending the past few days in her room. Kaoru smiled. _Let her be happy today, even if it means I have to suffer being the student and do as she says. _"All right, Misao-chan," she said with determination. "Show me some of those moves!"

They passed the rest of the day that way, and by the time Kaoru turned in for dinner, her arms and legs were sore from the workout. She was happy, however. Misao had kept up her bright mood throughout the whole three hours of their session, and she promised Kaoru she'll continue teaching her the next time Kaoru felt up to it.

Kaoru slid into her seat in front of Okina, rubbing her arm and offering him a wan smile. "Misao-chan and I had a little sparring session," she said to him in explanation.

"Then you must be hungry," Okina said, pushing a plate of food towards her. "Eat."

"Arigato," she said gratefully. She was about to eat when Aoshi entered the dining room to join them for dinner.

He said nothing as he took his seat. He merely bowed to them slightly before starting on his dinner. Okina did not pay any attention to him, either. Misao was the first one to speak to him.

"Did you spend the whole afternoon in the temple, Aoshi-sama?" she asked.

"Aa," Aoshi said after swallowing his first mouthful. He paused when he noticed Misao still looking at him. "How was your day?" he asked after a while.

"I spent the afternoon with Kaoru-san," Misao said, apparently pleased that he was talking to her. "I taught her some of the ninja skills I know. She's curious about it."

Kaoru stopped chewing. _Mou! I wanted to keep it a secret from him! No doubt he'll make fun of it…_ She glanced at Aoshi sheepishly. The former okashira was eyeing her a little skeptically, which she found to be a little irritating. "What?" she asked him, a slight threatening tone lining her voice.

"Nothing," Aoshi said, looking away from her and back to his own food. "It's flattering that you would take an interest in what we do."

Kaoru narrowed her eyes at him. She had seen that barely audible smirk on his face. _He's teasing me again! I really will get you back for this, Aoshi…_ Continuing with her dinner, she just imagined the perfect opportunity when she would be able to catch him off guard for once. _And revenge will be sweet._

Kaoru was up early the next morning. She was due at the Shirobeko in a little more than an hour, and she quickly made her way to the bathhouse to have a quick bath. She then donned on her Shirobeko uniform, laughing quietly at how she looked. _I may be here to help Misao move on, but I'm having a fun time too. I get to try out things without Sano and Yahiko laughing at me._

She made her way out of the Aoiya and was surprised to see Aoshi standing just outside the Aoiya gate. "Ohayo!" she called out to him as she approached.

"Ohayo," he replied in his quiet voice. "I am going to report to work today. I thought we could walk to town together."

Kaoru brightened up at this. "Arigato," she said, bowing to him. "But that's not really necessary. It's all right for me to walk by myself. But since you're going to town yourself, it would be nice to have your company."

Aoshi closed the gate after her and they started on the long walk to town. He glanced at her before speaking. "So you asked Misao to teach you some of her stuff?"

Kaoru sighed. "Yes. I just thought it might be fun. Besides, it gives her a chance to do something active for a change. She was so perky yesterday. I couldn't get the hang of it yet, though. I can only imagine how many years it took for her to do those things."

"And what do you think of it all?"

"It's different from kendo," Kaoru said. "A lot different. It's definitely interesting, though." She looked at him to catch the trace of a smile on his lips.

They lapsed into silence, which lasted until they got to the Shirobeko. "This is my stop," Kaoru said. "Thank you for walking with me."

He gave her a small nod before continuing on his way. Kaoru watched his back for a while before walking into the restaurant. She was greeted by Sae as soon as she entered.

"Kaoru-san!" she said gaily. "Are you ready for your first day at work?"

"Hai, Sae-san!" Kaoru said gamely. She tied her apron to her waist and followed Sae as the other girl explained Kaoru's tasks for the day.

It was relatively simple. All she had to do was take the orders of the customers and wait on them. Kaoru hid a smile. _It's easy as long as it doesn't involve cooking!_

For the rest of the afternoon, she served tables. Her smart mind was adept at taking orders and remembering them well, and her cheerful demeanor brought smiles on the faces of her customers. She took a break shortly after the lunch hour, and Sae complimented her.

"You're a natural," the other girl said. "Have you ever considered working at the Akabeko?"

"Goodness, Yahiko would laugh his head off," Kaoru said. "Besides, I've got the dojo to keep me occupied in Tokyo. I'm just working here to rake in some money while I'm not teaching. It's interesting, however. I'm trying to memorize people's names and faces to sharpen my mind."

Sae shrugged at this. "I'm glad you're having fun. You have no problems with your schedule?"

"Iie," Kaoru said, shaking her head. "I work here Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and I work overtime on Fridays. I'll never miss a day, Sae. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried," Sae said, grinning. "If you think it's too much, you can always tell me."

"It's fine," Kaoru assured her. "I have to get back to work… See you later, Sae-san!"

"Ja, Kaoru-san," Sae said as Kaoru waved a tray at her before disappearing back into the dining area.

Kaoru was surprised when Sae called her aside a few hours later. "It's five in the afternoon," Sae said. "Your shift is over."

Kaoru was surprised. "So soon? I haven't even tired yet, Sae-san!"

Sae grinned. "Go home and rest, Kaoru-san. You'll be back two days from now anyway, and you'll be doing the same thing for over a month. I assure you, you still have a lot of time waiting tables in the future." She handed Kaoru a basket covered with cloth. "Take home food for you, for a little extra. Part of your employee's benefits," she added with a laugh.

Kaoru took the basket. "Arigato, Sae-san. I'm sure Misao-chan will like this."

"See you on Wednesday," Sae said, disappearing back into the kitchen.

Kaoru happily walked back to the Aoiya with the basket. Even if it was covered with a cloth, she could smell the sweet aroma of dessert wafting up to her nose. She finished the two-mile walk quickly, and opened the gate to the Aoiya.

"I'm back," she called out tentatively. The front hall was empty, so she went to the kitchen where she deposited her basket. _Where is everyone? For a restaurant-hotel, this sure looks empty._

She made her way to the back of the Aoiya, encountering a few guests along the way. She greeted them cordially, oblivious to the appreciative looks the young men gave her. She found Misao in her room. "I'm back," she said brightly. "How was your day?"

Misao looked up. "It was absolutely monotonous," Misao said, sitting up from her futon. "I helped in the kitchen for a while, but Omasu doesn't really need help with the food… Jiya went to town with Shiro to get supplies. Aoshi-sama still hasn't come back from town yet."

Kaoru sat down on the floor, neatly folding her legs beneath her. "Gomene," she said. "I feel guilty leaving you alone all day…"

Misao threw her a smile. "Don't be silly, Kaoru-san. You can't spend every waking moment with me, and I know that. How was your stint as a waitress?"

Kaoru tossed up her head. "I was a certified hit. You should try it some time. It's really fun. Sae said I was a natural."

Misao grinned. "I'm glad you had fun," she said. "Do you feel tired?"

"Iie," Kaoru said. "I'll just take a quick bath. Would you like to join me at the back garden for a chat afterwards?"

"Sure," Misao said. "I'll see you downstairs later."

Kaoru left the younger girl and proceeded with her bath. As soon as she had dressed and dried her hair somewhat, she joined Misao in the garden. They sat themselves upon two large rocks and stared at the setting sun that cast an orange glow on them.

"This is so relaxing," Kaoru said, tilting her head to the side and letting her still damp hair dry out in the gentle breeze. She kept running her hand through it absent-mindedly.

"I never really get to appreciate it," Misao said. "You can only see its beauty when you have someone to share it with."

"You've been feeling lonely lately," Kaoru said.

"It's good that you came here," Misao said. She smiled ruefully. "Is this what it is like to grow up? I lose my cheerful self and become quiet like this… and Jiya and the others think I'm sick or something."

Kaoru laughed. "I don't know about that, but I'm certain that you aren't sick," she said honestly. "Sometimes we have these moments when we don't know where to place ourselves. It's happened to me a lot of times. Kami-sama only knows how I manage to get through it."

"You've got friends."

"So do you."

Misao thought this over. "Not like the way you do," she said. "Jiya is my grandfather. Omasu and the others treat me like a little sister, but not really as a friend. I don't share stories or secrets with them. It's like I'm everybody's little girl, but now that I'm grown up, I don't need taking care of anymore. They don't have any reasons to take care of me now, so… most of the time I'm left by myself."

"I understand," Kaoru said. "If it's any comfort… I can be your friend."

"It's a great deal of comfort," Misao said. "The problem is, you live in Tokyo."

Kaoru reached over to squeeze her arm affectionately. "What about Aoshi-san?"

Misao sighed. "I love him, I truly do. When he came back to live with us, I was counting on him to be the center of my life again. It never happened, though."

"Maybe he thinks that you shouldn't make him the center of your life."

"Maybe," Misao said. "But I wish he would still take the time to talk to me. Among all the people here at the Aoiya, he is the one I was closest to when I was a kid. Right now, he is the one I am most disappointed with. Did he forget about all those good times we had before?"

"I'm sure he didn't," Kaoru said. "He's been through a lot, though. He sees himself changed, Misao-chan. Perhaps he's still trying to sort himself out before sharing himself with anyone else so soon."

"Maybe," Misao said again. She paused for a moment, then threw Kaoru a smile. "This is such a depressing topic, Kaoru-san."

"You need to share it with someone," Kaoru said firmly. "Otherwise it will only weigh you down. Too much thinking is bad, Misao-chan. Unless you find someone else to share your thoughts with."

"Arigato, Kaoru-san," Misao said, nodding. "I look forward to the next time we share our thoughts with each other." She looked towards the restaurant. "I think Jiya is back. Let's see what we're going to have for dinner."

Kaoru sat up straight, slapping her hand on her lap. "I almost forgot! Misao-chan, Sae-san sent some desserts for us. It's in the kitchen…" As she followed her host back to the Aoiya, Kaoru couldn't help but feel a little better. She knew now why Misao had suddenly become quiet, and she was certain that she could help. _She just needs some friends to help her through her loneliness._

End Chapter.

Again, thanks to those who reviewed!

**Meimi-ren** – Yup, Kaoru can really be charming, can't she? Sorry, but I don't think Enishi's gonna appear in this fic. I think he's cool, too, but I don't know his character that well yet to write about him. Maybe in the future…

**ttv** – Sorry! I'm so sorry, but I just have to write this fic on Aoshi and Kaoru. Thanks for reading it and reviewing, though. I must warn you, this fic is going to be AK all the way…

**kage** – Thanks. I'm trying to get the chapters out as fast as I can… before my steam runs out, haha.

**Bradybunch4529 **– I'm glad you like it.

**Jen** – You're right. They don't have much bread there… thanks for the review!

**Baka chibi puffs** – You really think my characterization of Aoshi was okay? I'm having a hard time developing him and having him show _some_ of what he's feeling… haha. Thanks for reviewing!

**Suns of Sin** – Yeah, Misao-chan's depressed. Can you imagine that?

**Alexis Barnes** – Yup, I'll keep on updating.


	5. Racing Heartbeats

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin isn't owned by me!

On with the story…

* * *

Kaoru looked at the kunai with a little distaste. She and Misao had been practicing with them again when Okina called for Misao to give him one of his scheduled massages.

"It's one of the things I'm useful for," Misao had said before leaving her with a frustrated sigh.

Left alone, Kaoru had picked up the small knives, thinking of practicing on her own. She took careful aim, centering her gaze on the target, and she let her kunai fly. All of them hit the wooden board at the center of the yard, though not all of them were near enough to the bull's eye.

"At this rate, I'm more likely to trim my enemy's clothes rather than hit a vital spot," she muttered, walking to the target to retrieve her kunai. Once she had gotten all four of them, she turned to see Aoshi standing there, watching her silently. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked him a little irritably, feeling a little bit intruded upon.

"I just came out here to finish my tea," Aoshi said calmly, raising his cup to show her. "Just in time to see your shot."

Kaoru walked to her former position and turned to focus on her target again. "Misao was called up by Okina," she said on a more mellow tone.

She took aim at the target again, but somehow, with Aoshi watching her, she couldn't take the shot. _This is embarrassing, knowing how good a ninja he is…_ She lowered her hand and glanced at him at the corner of her eye. He was watching her nonchalantly as he raised his cup to take a sip. He paused just before the rim of the cup reached his lips. "Any problems, Kamiya?"

Kaoru blinked, noting that he had reverted to calling her by her surname. "Iie…" she stammered, thrown off-balance by his business-like tone.

Aoshi set his cup down on the porch and came forward to stand beside her. "Your aim is perfect, it's your follow through that gives you problems."

"Misao said the same thing the other day."

He took a kunai from her and threw it quickly at the target, hitting it at its center. "You have to be sure of yourself," he said. "If you hesitate just before releasing the dagger, you reduce your momentum. It keeps your dagger from flying fast and straight. Try it with just one dagger first."

Kaoru raised an eyebrow but followed his suggestion. She threw her kunai towards the target, making it a point to release it smoothly from her fingers. It hit the board cleanly, a few inches from Aoshi's kunai. "That was better," she murmured.

"You could further improve the path of your kunai with the way you swing your arm before you release it." He reached for her wrist, his fingers light on her skin. He extended her arm to its full length, tracing it through the air in a graceful arc. "It adds further momentum so your kunai can fly as fast as lightning."

_I don't know if my kunai can fly as fast as lightning, but my heart can certainly race as fast, _Kaoru thought as Aoshi dropped her arm. For a moment, she had been transfixed by his piercing gaze as he held onto her wrist for a few seconds.

"Arigato," she said, lowering her eyes and willing herself to breathe evenly. "I think I really need more practice, though."

"We always do, Kamiya," he said.

"Your tea has gotten cold," Kaoru said, not knowing why she had changed the subject.

Aoshi looked at his cup sitting on the porch. "I can always heat it again. It's been a long time since I had a pupil, even if it's just an impromptu lesson," he said, and she caught a trace of a smile.

"Oh…" Kaoru understood why he had reverted to calling her by her surname. She smiled slowly. "And it's been a long time since someone had instructed me as such…"

Aoshi gave a short chuckle at this, and Kaoru was delighted to her the quiet man laugh. "Keep practicing, Kamiya. You've got a lot of promise." Picking up his cup, he disappeared within the Aoiya.

Kaoru shook her head, picking up her kunai again. It pleased her that Aoshi took some of his time to give her useful advice. It only bothered her how she reacted when he touched her hand. _It's the first time I've been really close to him, just the two of us. _Kaoru shook her head again to clear it. She admitted to herself that Aoshi was an attractive man. _But I can't fall for him, _she told herself a little amusedly, thinking of Kenshin. _If I do, I'm a hopeless case… falling for men who never have an inkling for romance. At this rate, I really will grow up an old maid just as Yahiko predicted._

* * *

"This dessert is really nice," Okina said, smiling happily as he finished off the last of the sweets. "You think Sae will give you another basket when you return to work tomorrow?"

"Er…" Kaoru said, a little thrown off. "Perhaps if you give her something from the Aoiya, Okina-san…"

"That's a good idea!" Okina said, raising a fist into the air. "Omasu, pack one of those fish dishes for tomorrow, for Sae at the Shirobeko. You go back to work tomorrow, right, Kaoru?" he asked.

"Hai," Kaoru said. She stood up to help Omasu clear the table, but Okina waved her back to her seat.

"Let Omasu clear the table. I'm curious about what you girls plan to do today," Okina said.

"We haven't really thought about it," Kaoru said, glancing at Misao.

"Actually, I was thinking that maybe we could take a walk to town," Misao said.

"But Kaoru-san has just been to town yesterday, and she's going to town again tomorrow," Okina said.

"I'd like to go to town today as well," Kaoru said hastily. "I have some letters that I wish to send to Tokyo."

"To Himura and the others? Send them my regards," Okina said. He then excused himself from the table, leaving the girls alone with Aoshi, who had been quiet during the entire meal.

"What about you? What do you plan to do?" Kaoru asked, turning to Aoshi.

He shrugged. "Go to the temple, perhaps."

"Would you like to come with us?" Kaoru asked out of politeness.

"Iie. But thank you for asking," He rose and left the kitchen as well, and Kaoru turned to Misao, who was looking at her wide-eyed. "What?" she asked.

"You invited him to come with us," Misao stated.

Kaoru thought about it. "Why not? He might want to come."

Misao sighed. "I just don't know what to do around him."

"Would you have wanted him to come?" Kaoru asked.

"Hai," Misao said. "But a part of me also doesn't want him to."

"That's impossible," Kaoru said cheerily. "Now go and have your bath, I'm done with mine. I'll be waiting for you at the front hall when you're ready."

Misao raced to the bathhouse, and Kaoru changed into one of her fancier kimonos. She carefully tied her obi around her waist, making a clean knot, and wandered to the front hall to look for umbrellas. She knew it would take Misao at least thirty minutes to get ready.

She rummaged through the umbrellas, looking for a pattern that would go well with her obi. She found a patterned lavender umbrella and she took it. It reminded her of Kenshin's eyes. She briefly touched the letter that she was sending to the dojo, full of thought about her friends.

"It reminds you of his eyes, doesn't it?" a voice behind her asked.

Kaoru jumped, though she did not scream. It was Aoshi who had spoken. "Mou!" she said. "You surprised me again." She looked at the umbrella. "It does remind me of Kenshin. A little feminine," she added with a snicker.

Aoshi's mouth twitched at her remark, and Kaoru strove to further his amusement at the expense of her former crush. "I mean, have you ever imagined Kenshin wearing a kimono, with his hair tied by a purple ribbon?"

"I haven't," Aoshi said, his amusement leaking into his voice.

Kaoru laughed, hugging the umbrella. "Don't tell Kenshin I made fun of him, though. That will be our little secret. Are you off to the temple?"

"Aa," he said. He reached for his coat, slipping it on. Watching him in the familiar white coat brought back memories of seeing him fight with Kenshin months before. "What are you thinking?" he asked her.

"Nothing," Kaoru said, deciding not to mention his darker days. "I'm just waiting for Misao."

"It was nice of you to agree to accompany her to town."

"She needs friends, Aoshi, and not just me. I talked to her yesterday and she seems lonely. Maybe it would be good for her to have some other friends around here. Does she know Sae-san?"

"Not that well," Aoshi said.

"What about you?" Kaoru ventured tentatively. "She looks up to you a lot. I know you can probably help her move along."

"I'm afraid of leading her on," Aoshi said.

Kaoru thought about this. She opened her mouth to say more, but then she heard Misao's lively steps approaching. "I understand," she said hastily. "However, I'd like to talk to you more about it."

He nodded. "I will walk with you to your work tomorrow. Have a good day in town." Without waiting for Misao, he stepped out.

End of Chapter.

* * *

I'm alive! Hehe… Sorry for not updating for a long time, I went to the province on a vacation that turned out to be quite a long one… I even brought my laptop but turns out that there's no internet there. Province... hm. Anyway, I'll be uploading another chapter right after this one, because this one's a bit short. I hope I've still got some readers out there.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

**Bradybunch4529**: Yup, I want Kaoru to come out as more mature than Misao in this fic, but I also want to establish a deep friendship between the two of them.

**PRoyalAngel**: Don't worry, Misao will have some rough times but she'll recover and be back to her cheery self. I can't write Soujiro into this fic yet, but Sou-chan will definitely be welcome to Misao in the future.

**Jen**: I had fun with Kaoru and the lessons… I think she'd look cute in a ninja outfit, haha.

**Suicidal baka 911**: Misao will cheer up soon…

**Suns of Sin**: Kaoru lives in a restaurant-hotel and works in another restaurant… haha… If I was in her shoes, I'd probably grow fat in just a week. Jello's nice, but I love ref cakes more..

**Meimi-ren**: A lot of people adore Kaoru, huh? A lot of people also like Aoshi. I admit, he really is hot! Hehe… I hope you're still reading this, sorry my update took so long.

**Taiyo**: Thanks for reviewing. There will be Aoshi-Kaoru moments here and there, plus a lot more in later chapters.

**Alexis Barnes**: Thanks too for reading my fic.


	6. Afternoon Tea

Standard disclaimers apply… RK isn't mine!

* * *

The next morning found Kaoru and Aoshi walking to the center of town once again. They left earlier than the other day, because Kaoru wanted to talk to him. They took their time walking to the Shirobeko as the early morning sun bathed them in its healthy light. Aoshi was carrying the basket of food Okina wanted to exchange with the Shirobeko.

"I think Misao feels lonely, more than anything else," Kaoru said without any preamble. "We talked about it yesterday. Everyone at the Aoiya is her family, but no one there really treats her as a friend. She longs to have someone that she can talk to, and share things with. It was a good idea for me to come here and visit, but what happens when I leave?" she asked.

"It pains me to see Misao lonely," Aoshi admitted. "But I told you yesterday, I am afraid of leading her on. She might misinterpret my friendship for something else, and I cannot bear to break her heart that way."

"I know, but by staying away, you are still breaking her heart," Kaoru said. "Don't you think that maybe she is clinging to her infatuation with you because she has no other experience with you? The last time you had any interaction with her, she was a child and you were this older boy who took excellent care of her. Naturally she would look up to you. But now that she has grown, she has nothing else to replace those memories with."

He was silent for a while. "You have a point, Kaoru-san," he said quietly. "It's worth a try. I think it's unfair for Okina and I to task you with the job of cheering Misao, when we are the ones who are always with her."

Kaoru nodded. "I'm glad you see my point. Between the two of us, perhaps we can refocus Misao-chan's energies elsewhere."

"What do you suggest we do, then?" Aoshi asked.

"Sa…" she replied. "Maybe we can start by enjoying a cup of tea together tonight, or tomorrow, while sitting in the garden. The Aoiya has a nice garden. Sitting in there calms my nerves."

They fell into silence once again as they entered the town proper. "Which way is the post office?" she asked him. "I plan to send another letter so it can make the morning train to Tokyo." She smiled sheepishly. "You see, I write my friends whenever I think about them… I know it's silly."

"We're all allowed to have our own eccentricities. I'll walk you to the post office," Aoshi said. He turned her to the general direction of the post office with a light touch on her elbow.

Kaoru felt the slightest shiver at his touch, feeling his fingers against her skin. No man had ever treated her that way before, for Sano had always been more of a pal than a gentlemanly friend, and Kenshin had never really done so either. She smiled at the idea of Aoshi Shinomori being a gentleman. It suited his image.

He pointed to the post office, and Kaoru quickly mailed her letter. She thanked Aoshi for his help. "Are you going to the police station?" she asked him.

"Aa," he said. "What time does your shift end?"

"Five," she said, taking the basket from him.

"I will see you later."

"Hai. Later," she said merrily, waving briefly at him before disappearing into the Shirobeko.

She worked enthusiastically the whole day, and got paid with another basket of Shirobeko food. It was ten minutes past five when she emerged from the Shirobeko's wash room where she had washed her face and tidied up her hair for the walk back home. She was surprised to see Aoshi sitting in the restaurant, sipping a cup of tea.

He stood up as she approached. "I thought we could walk back home together," he said, taking the Shirobeko's basket from her.

She was pleasantly surprised. "That's nice," she said. "You were at the police station the whole day?" she asked, noticing that he had another package under his arm.

He indicated the package he was carrying. "I spent the last two hours going around town getting some things."

"What things?" Kaoru asked, curious, as they started the walk back to the Aoiya.

"I'm not telling you," he said with disguised amusement.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow at this, ignoring his slight smirk. "Fine, I'm not asking any more," she retorted lightly. Then she sighed. "I'm really curious."

He merely shifted the package in his arm and continued at his pace. "Later," he promised her.

She was satisfied with this, and they lapsed into silence again. The silence continued until they got to the Aoiya. Aoshi opened the gate for her and they stepped inside. "Call Misao," he told her. "I got some tea that we could all share."

Kaoru stopped to look at him in wonder. _So that's what's in the package, _she thought, a warm feeling spreading within her. _He took my suggestion seriously and bought tea for all of us. He does want things to work out with Misao._

He met her eyes and held them as he raised his eyebrows. She shook her head, smiling. "Thank you for listening to me," she told him, impulsively reaching out to squeeze his arm. "It means a lot."

"You are very sensible," he said. "It's hard not to hear you out."

She bowed to him quickly before going off to find Misao. She found the girl in her room, as usual. She slid the door open and accosted the ninja, placing her hands on her hips. "Misao-chan! It's a lovely afternoon. Do you want to appreciate the sunset once more with me in the garden? Aoshi-san bought some tea for us, he's going to prepare it."

Misao's green eyes widened. "Aoshi-sama is going to join us?" she asked faintly.

"Hai," Kaoru said firmly. "Now don't look so surprised. Be good company so he'll be encouraged to join us more often."

Misao jumped to her feet. "You're a wonder, Kaoru-san. What did you tell him to make him want to have tea with us?"

"Nothing," Kaoru said nonchalantly. "I merely extended the hand of friendship. I'm going to change. See you downstairs."

She dashed to her room to change into a fresh kimono, choosing a violet kimono that came with a pink obi. She didn't want to be overdressed, but she thought that tonight was a special enough occasion to warrant such an outfit. _I finally made a breakthrough with both Misao and Aoshi…_

She found the two downstairs, sitting in the back porch in the orange light of sunset. It warmed her heart to see Aoshi talking to Misao in soft tones while the other girl watched him make the tea. They looked so comfortable with each other that Kaoru hesitated to join them. However, Aoshi looked up at that moment and beckoned to her.

"I was telling Misao how to mix the herbs," he told her as she settled down at his other side.

"Sou desu," Kaoru murmured, watching his hands work on the herbs meticulously. Her eyes wandered to the rest of the contents of the package Aoshi had brought from town. "You have some other stuff as well."

"Aa. Snacks. You may bring them out."

Kaoru laid several rice crackers on the tray that Misao was holding. After a few minutes, their tea was ready, and Aoshi had poured their cups for them. "Arigato," Kaoru said as Aoshi handed her a cup. She took a tentative sip, letting the light aroma stimulate her senses. "This is good," she said in surprise.

"You never drank tea before?" Aoshi asked her.

"Iie…" she answered. "But I will, starting today. What do you call this?"

"It's jasmine," Misao said, giggling. "It's the scent of your perfume, Kaoru-san."

Kaoru frowned, lifting the cup to her nose. "I smell like this?" she asked skeptically.

"Hai," Misao said, laughing outright.

"Oh, if you say so," Kaoru said, setting the cup down.

"It's a new flavor for me as well. I just bought that today. I usually drink plain green tea," Aoshi told her.

She took another sip. "I like it."

Silence settled between them, and they sat side by side to watch the setting sun. "Do you have any current work, Aoshi-sama?" Misao asked Aoshi tentatively.

"Iie," Aoshi answered. "But I report to the police station every other day to keep myself updated. They only need me for special cases that they couldn't handle by themselves."

"I see," Misao said, nodding. "I've been trying to map out the rest of the Oniwabanshu all over Kyoto. Who knows when we might need to be active again? It's a way of passing my time."

Aoshi nodded. "That is good," he said. "If you have any problems, contact Ikusawa Nashima. He used to be in charge of correspondence."

Misao brightened up. "That's a good idea. I think I have his address." Then she looked at Kaoru. "Kaoru-san, you've grown quiet."

Kaoru looked up from her tea. "Nani?" she asked. "I was just letting my mind wander."

"Wander to where?" Aoshi asked.

"Nowhere interesting," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. The truth was, listening to Aoshi and Misao talk reminded her of the way she and Kenshin talked. She didn't want to admit it, but she missed her friends. "I… I did remember that I have to write something down for Yahiko. Instructions on the dojo which I forgot to include in my letter this morning." She pretended to hit herself on the head. "I'm getting old, forgetting things," she added with a small laugh. "Would you excuse me?"

"Now?" Misao asked, a little upset. "But… you can always write it down later, it wouldn't matter. The post office is closed already, anyway."

"I might forget it again," Kaoru said. She bowed low. "Arigato for the company. I'm sorry I have to cut it short, though. I'll come downstairs after I'm done."

She stood up hastily and almost ran to her room, sliding the door shut behind her. She leaned against it, berating herself for getting too emotional. _What was the matter back there? You seemed like a kid who can't even stay a week away from her home! Kaoru, you're an adult, for goodness' sake! Get a grip._

She breathed evenly, looking around her room. The people in the Aoiya had been hospitable, giving her everything that she needed. However, their company could not make up for her friends. She sighed and walked to the writing desk, seating herself. She had just written Kenshin and Yahiko a letter, but she felt like writing again, anyway. This time, she addressed the letter to Megumi and Dr. Genzai, adding a small note for the twins.

_Dearest Genzai-sensei and Megumi… I just wrote to the dojo and I miss you all sorely. How are things in Tokyo? I started working at the Shirobeko to earn some money, so you can all expect some souvenirs when I get back, which is around a month from now…_

She finished the letter and sealed it, writing the clinic's address in the space outside. She then propped it next to her pillow and stood up, straightening her clothes. She considered herself composed enough to make a reappearance downstairs.

To her surprise, Misao was nowhere in the porch. Aoshi was seated alone, their tea cups and tray of snacks having been cleared already. "Where is Misao-chan?" she asked him.

"Helping with dinner," Aoshi said. "Are you all right, Kaoru-san?"

"Hai," she said, sitting down next to him. "I just remembered something I needed to tell Yahiko."

He raised an eyebrow at her obvious excuse, and she faltered under his gaze. "Is that right?" he asked.

"Actually, I wanted some time alone because I missed my friends," Kaoru confessed, unable to hold under his steady gaze.

"You could have just said so."

She shrugged. "I want to be strong," she said. "I refuse to let myself be incapacitated just because my friends aren't with me. When I decided to come here, I was trying to play an adult and help Misao with her problems. However… I also wanted to prove something to myself. I wanted to show that I am a true adult, capable of doing things the way they should be done."

"It doesn't demean you just because you miss your friends," he told her. "If it means that much to you, you can return to Tokyo any time. Misao will be all right with us."

"I am all right," Kaoru said firmly. "I want to stay here."

"If you insist," he said. "Misao and I talked about your free day tomorrow. I'm going to the temple to meditate, and Misao said that the two of you can enjoy the natural springs at the feet of the mountain."

"You mean bathe there?" Kaoru asked, her eyes brightening. "That's a good idea."

"Good," he said, standing up and offering her a hand. "Let's go inside. Dinner should be ready soon."

She held onto his hand as she rose to her feet. "So soon? I feel like I've been eating all day. At this rate, I won't fit into any of my kimonos by the time I head home," she said, patting her belly.

"That's doubtful," he said, his lips forming that now familiar but subtle smirk. "You are so small that you can't even deflect Misao's blows when you spar."

"Mou!" Kaoru said as she punched Aoshi on the shoulder with all her strength, causing him to lose his balance and jump off the porch. "You didn't have to say that."

Aoshi climbed back up, rubbing his arm. "You give strong blows, though," he said. "Now I know how the man of the house could keep Yahiko and that rooster head disciplined."

Kaoru punched him again, less hard this time. "Stop it, Aoshi Shinomori," she warned him. "Or else I really will turn into a man and beat you up."

"Aa," he merely said as they entered the Aoiya. "I believe you."

Kaoru pretended to scowl at him as she followed him inside. They found Misao waiting for them in the kitchen, their dinner already laid out on the table. Kaoru sat down at her place and eagerly dug into her food. No matter how much she felt like she had been eating all day, she still could not resist the delicious food that lay in front of her. _No matter what anyone else says, I'll just enjoy this dinner._

She looked at Aoshi, challenging him to continue his teasing, but he only looked at her innocently as he worked through his own food. Kaoru grinned. Misao and Aoshi were no substitute for her friends in Tokyo, but she knew that they also cared for her in much the same way. _Even Aoshi, _she thought, chewing thoughtfully. _In any case, staying here isn't so bad._

End of Chapter.

* * *

Sorry for the short chapters, peeps. But I find it better to keep things short and simple so I can keep track of them better. Til my next update! Please keep those reviews coming... 


	7. A Sweet Night Out

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin isn't owned by me, too bad...

* * *

Kaoru wiped at her face with a hand towel. _First day working overtime and I got to work over overtime, _she thought as she hung the towel to dry. It was Friday night, the end of the week, and the Shirobeko had double its customer number for the night. Sae had pleaded for Kaoru to stay an extra hour, and the Tokyo girl had agreed out of sympathy for the young restaurant owner.

She thought an hour was no big deal, but thinking about the long walk home made her realize that she was going to reach the Aoiya no earlier than eleven in the evening. She wasn't worried about her safety, for she had walked darker streets before. She was worried that the people at the Aoiya might worry about her unnecessarily. She knew she mentioned to Misao that she would be working overtime on Fridays, but she wondered if Misao remembered to tell Okina about it. The old man felt responsible for Kaoru, and Kaoru could understand why Misao felt like she was always being taken care of.

"I'll be going, Sae-san, I'll be back on Monday!" Kaoru called out, but Sae was too busy attending to a customer to hear her. Kaoru shrugged and went outside.

She turned onto the familiar path that cut through the town, and turned her feet towards the Aoiya. She was tired, but happy with the way things were going so far. She had received her earnings for the week, and she looked forward to spending them for souvenirs over the weekend. _And I'm also pleased that Misao is doing a lot better now. I only hope that she isn't mistaking Aoshi's friendship as something else. She doesn't seem to, thank heavens, but sometimes she still acts like she wants to be more than friends with him. I hope she doesn't. If she does, Aoshi will think it's a bad idea to befriend her more than before!_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sharp cry of a nocturnal animal. Kaoru jerked her head up, realizing that she was already out of the town and walking through a path flanked by trees on either side. _Was that an owl? I hope so._

The cry was followed by another cry, which was suddenly cut short for some reason. Kaoru's imagination conjured an image of an owl being devoured by a forest beast, and she quickened her pace. "This is ridiculous, Kaoru. They're just animals," she muttered to herself. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw the dim lights of the town she had left behind. Throwing all sense of propriety and self-image to the wind, she lifted her skirt a little and started to run the rest of the way.

She didn't stop running until she caught sight of the gates of the Aoiya. Then she stopped, putting a hand to her heart and trying to catch her breath. "That was stupid," she said aloud, her voice serving to calm her nerves. "Really stupid. Yahiko would laugh at you." She pictured her student's face and she started to laugh herself. She unlatched the gate and pushed it open, still laughing while trying to catch her breath.

"I certainly hope you haven't lost your mind."

Kaoru's laughter was cut short by Aoshi's crisp voice. She looked up to see the ninja sitting on the front porch. "Oh," she said, putting a hand to her lips. "I thought everyone would be asleep by now. I was just thinking about a few things on the way home." She inhaled deeply.

His ice blue eyes squinted at her. "You look winded."

Kaoru shrugged, knowing it was hard to hide facts from the observant man in front of her. "I ran part of the way home."

"Why?"

"Why not?" Kaoru returned. "What are you doing out here, anyway?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I like staying outside in the dark," he replied. "It's a rarity to have the Aoiya quiet."

"I can imagine," she agreed, stepping forward to sit on the steps beside him. She glanced at his tall frame and wondered for a moment what he was really thinking. "Aren't you going to bed yet? You must be tired. You got up earlier than me this morning."

"Aa. Let's go," he said, surprising her.

"That was fast," she said. "I like it when you're agreeable."

"It doesn't happen often," he told her.

"I'm going to take a bath before sleeping," she told him.

"I'll heat water for you."

"That's not necessary…"

"Iie, Kaoru-san," he said firmly. "Your muscles are tired. It would be punishment to subject them to a cold bath now. Go get your clothes while I prepare your bath."

He said it with such a finality that Kaoru could only nod. "All right, since you were so agreeable just a while ago," she said with a smile. "Arigato, Aoshi-san."

Without another word, he strode out the back door. Kaoru watched his retreating back for a moment, wondering if he had stayed up waiting for her to return. She couldn't know it for certain, but the possibility left a light feeling in her gut which had become increasingly familiar the more she spent time with him.

* * *

The next morning, Kaoru laid out several coins on her futon. She had received her earnings for the first week the previous night, and she was ready to return to town today and buy the souvenirs she had planned to give to her housemates. She wondered if Misao would go with her to town. After all, there wasn't much to do at the Aoiya.

She put the coins in her purse and slid it under her pillow. Then she dressed into a fresh kimono and sought out her hosts in the kitchen, where she knew they mostly hung out. "Ohayo," she said, finding Misao and Okina in the kitchen.

"Kaoru! What time did you get in last night?" Okina asked.

"About eleven," Kaoru said apologetically. "I'm sorry if I had you worried. I work overtime on Fridays. Last night was a busy night and Sae needed my help badly. It was fine, though. I had no trouble going home. I'm really sorry," she repeated.

"It's all right," Okina said. "I was worried, to tell you the truth, but Misao reminded me how independent you can be. In any case, I'm glad nothing happened to you."

"Thank you," Kaoru said, giving him a small bow. "Please don't worry about me. I can be fine, anywhere, anytime."

"I'll leave you two ladies alone to discuss your day's plans," he said, rising and striding out of the kitchen."

"I was worried myself," Misao confessed. "Then I had to remind myself that you hate being treated like you're weak. I had to stop Aoshi-sama from coming to get you."

Kaoru raised her eyebrows. "Really?" she asked.

"Jiya asked him to fetch you, and he got dressed to go out. Then I told him you wouldn't like it." Misao laughed lightly. "He argued that you were probably like me… seeming to exude strength and confidence but faltering when it gets dark. Then he relented and gave you the benefit of the doubt."

Kaoru thought about her wild run home in the dark, and she laughed as well. "We'll never admit we get scared of the dark, Misao-chan," she said in a whisper.

"Hai!" Misao agreed. "Anyway, Aoshi-sama left for the temple already. I doubt he'll be joining us today."

"I was thinking of spending time in town in leisure," Kaoru said. "I got my week's earnings last night and I'm thinking of buying those souvenirs I mean to give to Kenshin and the others."

Misao's green eyes lit up. "Of course!" she said. "I'll take some of my money as well, and we can buy some sweets just for us."

"That's a good idea," Kaoru said happily. "I'll just get my purse and I'll meet you outside in a while."

"Aren't you going to have breakfast?"

"Iie. After all, we'll be eating in town, right?" Kaoru tossed Misao a small wave as she made a dash to her room to retrieve her money. When she came back down, she found the ninja waiting outside, holding two umbrellas. She handed one of them to Kaoru.

"Arigato," Kaoru said, opening it and holding it above her head. She noticed that Misao was still wearing her ninja outfit, and an idea struck her. She giggled out of the blue, causing Misao to look at her warily.

"What?" Misao asked.

"I just thought of something," Kaoru said merrily. "I've decided to get Kenshin's souvenirs next week. I'm going to buy something else today."

"What?" Misao asked curiously.

"You'll see," Kaoru said mysteriously.

By the time afternoon rolled around, they were already on their way home. Both of them were laden with packages, most of them Kaoru's. Misao shifted the large bundle in her arms. "You bought some nice things today," she commented. "I particularly like that dark blue kimono with the floral pattern. I think it becomes you."

Kaoru said nothing as she opened the gate to the Aoiya. "We'll put all these in my room," Kaoru said.

They locked themselves in Kaoru's room and proceeded to open the packages to admire them once more. "It's lovely," Misao breathed as she examined an ornamental clip.

Kaoru reached for it and plucked it out of Misao's hands. "Now comes the fun part," Kaoru said, giggling again. "Most of these are actually for you, Misao-chan."

Misao blanched. "What?"

Kaoru laughed harder. "I think you look cute in your ninja outfit, but you said so yourself---you're a grown lady now. You need to dress up in a kimono once in a while."

"But Kaoru-san!" Misao wailed, holding onto her ninja clothes as Kaoru approached her with a kimono draped over her arm.

"Come on," Kaoru chided her. "I dressed up in your ninja garb before. Now you dress up in a kimono for me. If ninjas like Okon and Omasu can pull it off, there's no reason why you couldn't."

After a little struggle, Misao relented and let Kaoru prod her to a corner. She took the light blue kimono Kaoru held out, and gingerly put it on. After she had put it on, Kaoru looked at her with a critical eye. She then produced a red obi and taught Misao how to tie it around her slender waist. "It takes a little practice to learn how to tie it properly," Kaoru explained.

"I see," Misao said. She appreciated the way Kaoru's expert hands made a ribbon out of the obi, and she admired herself in the mirror. "Do I look like a lady now, Kaoru-san?" she asked gaily. "This isn't so bad after all."

"That's good," Kaoru said. "Now we need to do something about your hair."

"My hair?" Misao asked, snatching up her braid lovingly.

"Relax, I'm not suggesting that we cut it. That braid looks nice, but it doesn't work well with the kimono," Kaoru said gently. "Let's see about having it in a ponytail. Sit down, Misao-chan."

Misao proceeded to sit down, but found out that the kimono disabled her from sitting on the floor with her legs crossed. Amending this, she kneeled down and sat on the balls of her feet. It was a foreign position for her, and she wondered how other women could sit like that for hours.

Kaoru took off the strip of cloth that held Misao's braid intact, and she combed through Misao's hair. "You have good hair," she murmured. "It's so fine, and a little curled at the ends because of the braid. I'll try putting it up in a ponytail."

Kaoru worked for several minutes, and when she was done, Misao's hair was tied up in a high ponytail, leaving her hair hanging down in gentle curls down her back. "There," Kaoru said proudly. She held up a mirror for Misao. "How do you like it? Other women, like Megumi, put on make-up. Demo… I never really liked the stuff, and even if we're old enough to wear kimonos, I think we're still too young to wear makeup."

"I agree," Misao said, relieved. She looked at herself. "Do I look any different?" she asked.

"Not really," Kaoru said. "You're still Misao. It's just a different way of dressing up, but your true self still shines, through, definitely."

"I just thought about it, Kaoru-san," Misao said. "You lost your parents when you were small. Who taught you how to dress up and fix yourself?"

"I did it mostly on my own," Kaoru confessed. "But sometimes, I had help from Tae-san. Later on, Megumi gave me some tips as well."

"You did a pretty god job of raising yourself," Misao said admiringly.

Kaoru bowed her head in humility. "I had no other choice," she said simply. Then she looked up. "Come downstairs and let's show everybody my masterpiece." She pulled on Misao's hand.

"No!" Misao said. "Aoshi-sama might think I'm trying to catch his attention."

"Oh, nonsense. Stop thinking of him too much," Kaoru scoffed. "It's perfectly normal for a girl to want to dress up once in a while."

Using brute strength, she dragged Misao to her feet and out of her room. They sought out Okina in the kitchen, and found the old man reading the day's newspaper. "Okina-san!" Kaoru called out, still dragging a reluctant Misao.

"Misao!" Okina cried out. "You look wonderful!"

Misao raised her eyebrows. "I do?"

"You look all grown up," Okina said, smiling.

"It was Kaoru's idea," Misao said, sitting down opposite her grandfather.

"And a really good one," Okina said. He tipped his head to the side. "Now it's a shame to see you dressed like that and nowhere to go."

"It's all right," Misao said.

"Wait. There's a sweets festival in town tonight! Why don't you two oblige an old man's penchant for desserts and accompany me?" he asked.

"Sweets?" Misao repeated. "Jiya… I don't think it's a good idea for me to go out…"

"I'd like to go," Kaoru butted in. "I haven't really seen the town at night."

"It's settled, then," Okina said. "We're going to town! Just let me get dressed." He fairly bounded out of the room in excitement, and Kaoru laughed.

Misao fretted. "I feel so restricted," she muttered.

"Smile," Kaoru said.

Just then, Aoshi entered the room. Kaoru was facing him, and she had the time of her life when she saw the onmitsu's mask slip for more than a second when he saw Misao. His blue eyes had widened in disbelief, and his mouth had gone slack for a moment Kaoru laughed harder, holding onto her stomach.

"Aoshi-sama!" Misao said, whirling around.

Aoshi had already regained his composure. "Misao…" he said, his voice trailing off.

"It wasn't my idea," Misao said defensively.

"It was mine," Kaoru said proudly. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "That look was priceless, Aoshi," she said, her voice weak from her laughter.

"So you say," Aoshi said, his mouth twitching.

"We're going to attend the sweets festival in town, with Jiya," Misao said. "Do you want to come along?"

He thought for a moment, and Kaoru jumped in to persuade him. "Come on," she said. "We haven't really gone to town at night, and we might need help getting Okina home if he gets drunk."

"All right," Aoshi said.

Okina returned, dressed to kill, his outfit matching Misao's in elegance. Kaoru stifled a laugh. "We look like we're going to a really extravagant party," she said. Then she corrected herself, assessing her plain kimono. "At least, the two of you do."

"You go and change too, Kaoru-san," Misao urged her.

"Iie," Kaoru said, shaking her head. "I think I'll let you be the prettier lady tonight, Misao-chan. For a change," she added teasingly.

Misao threw her a look. "Kaoru…" she said menacingly.

"A joke, a joke," Kaoru said, giggling. She waved Misao towards the front door. "Let's go."

"Say, she didn't take my remark seriously, did she?" she asked Aoshi as she fell into step beside him.

"Iie," he answered. "Misao admires you a lot. I'm sure she believes that between the two of you, you are the more attractive one."

"That's not true," Kaoru said, a little embarrassed at hearing him say it.

"How did you get Misao into those clothes, anyway?" he asked.

"By sheer force," Kaoru said with a smile. "Doesn't she look lovely?"

"Aa," he said. "It's another reminder that she's growing up so fast."

"You sound like a father," Kaoru said. "Then again, somehow you are indeed a father to her."

"Where did you get that kimono?"

"Bought it earlier," Kaoru said. "I thought it would be fun to dress up Misao. I've always wanted to do that, sort of as an older sister. Kenshin's and Sano's souvenirs can wait till next week," she added brightly. "Who knows, someone might notice Misao tonight."

"I doubt it," Aoshi said seriously. "Only old people like Okina come to these sweets festivals."

"Hmm… that would be a problem, if Misao gets noticed by an old man," Kaoru murmured. "It would give Okina a dose of his own medicine," she added a little while later, causing her companion to chuckle.

"Indeed," Aoshi agreed.

After a while, they arrived at the festival. Aoshi was right, most of the crowd were old people who liked sweets, though there were some children running around with food in their hands. Kaoru laughed as Okina dragged Misao to the long dessert table and he quickly filled up a plate with the sugary feast.

"Well, we might as well sample these delights," Kaoru said, turning away from Aoshi to help herself to some of the dainty-looking pieces. "How are you, Misao-chan?" she called out.

"This is good," Misao said, waving a sugar cracker in her hand. "Except that I feel I'm getting fatter with every bite. We just had sweets this afternoon, Kaoru-san!"

"You can afford some extra weight," Kaoru said, eyeing Misao's slim figure. Then she sighed. "I, for one, could not." Nevertheless, she popped one of the crackers into her mouth and savored its texture.

"Where's Aoshi-sama?" Misao asked.

"I don't know, he was beside me a while ago," Kaoru said, unconcerned. She looked around and saw the tall man looking at some colorful boxes. "Oh, he's over there. Typical, he's looking over some imported teas."

Misao laughed. "He's addicted to the stuff, really. Jiya! That's quite a lot, isn't it?" she asked as her grandfather passed by them with a second plate heaped high with pastries.

Okina hardly paid them any notice as he sat on one of the benches and started eating his second helping. Kaoru was amused, and when she turned towards Misao, she was surprised to see that Sae had joined them. "He seems to enjoy it," Sae said. "Now I know why Kaoru-san keeps on asking for some extra sweets to take home."

"Ah, yes," Misao said. "Thank you Sae-san."

"It's nice to know that my recipes are appreciated," Sae said. She looked around. "It looks like everyone is having a good time. Misao-san, you look lovely."

Misao blushed, something which she thought she was not capable of doing. "Eh… Kaoru-san dressed me up. She thought it would be nice for me to have a new look."

"It suits you to have your hair down like that," Sae said.

"Really? I doubt if it will work with my ninja outfit, though," Misao said cheerily. "I very well can't jump around with my hair loose like this."

The two girls were still conversing, and Kaoru edged away politely. She saw Aoshi standing alone and she thought the man would like to have some quiet company. "Tea again?" she teased as she came closer.

"Aa," he said, swirling his cup gently.

"I left Misao with Sae. It might be a good opportunity for her to make some new friends," Kaoru said. "Have you tried any of the dishes?"

"Some of them," he said. "I really don't care much for sweets."

"Just tea, ne?" she asked, still in a teasing mood.

"Just tea," Aoshi repeated, humoring her.

Kaoru sighed, satisfied with how her evening was going. The town was pretty. Traditional Japanese lanterns hung at every post, bathing the square in a warm glow. The townsfolk had pretty much settled down into the benches put out especially for the occasion. Only the younger people were milling about, chatting with one another. She felt a certain sense of peace, watching them with detachment, like she was a mere spectator. She didn't realize that she was too tired to do anything else but stand there.

_I didn't know dressing up Misao would take away this much of my energy,_ she thought, a smile creeping onto her face. _But it's definitely worth it, _she added as she watched Misao talking to a boy that appeared to be about their age.

"Would you like one?"

Kaoru blinked as she noticed Aoshi holding out a cup of tea for her. "Eh? All right," she said, taking it from him. "Arigato."

"You look tired, that will help loosen you up," he said.

"Hm… are you trying to turn me into a tea addict as well?" she asked mischievously.

"It's worth a try," he said as he watched her take a sip.

The tea had a slightly citrus taste, and Kaoru took another sip. "It's good," she said. "It's imported?"

"From China," Aoshi said. "We don't get that a lot here."

"I see," she said. "I like it."

They stood that way for a long time. As Kaoru finished her tea, she wondered if it was the hot liquid or her quiet companion that was warming her insides, making her feel relaxed and blissfully happy.

End of chapter.

* * *

Well. I hope you liked this one. It's a lot longer than my previous chapters, but I'm still a long way from finishing this fic.

Thanks to all the wonderful people who reviewed!

**WhiteRabbit5 **– That was a long review! I'm glad you like it. Yup, Misao will be playing a big role in this fic later on, when the conflict really begins. I want to develop Kaoru and Misao's friendship, but I'm having a hard time thinking about it… Guess that's why it took me so long to update. And yes, I also like Kaoru working as a waitress because she's so pretty and charming. Definitely one of my favorite anime characters.

**Mistress of hyde** – This chapter took a little too long… I hope you enjoy this one.

**Cherry** – They'll start liking each other much much later, though they'll have a lot of time alone together in the coming chapters. I'm still figuring it out, but they'll definitely fall for each other later.

**Suicidal Baka911** – Don't worry about Misao, she'll be fine.

**Bradybunch4529** – I'm glad I'm able to stimulate your imagination. I'm a person who relies heavily on descriptions myself.

**Flaming-amber** – Thanks for reading. I love AK fluff myself, and it's great that you appreciate my contribution to AK fanfics.

**horse-crazy-gurl** – Good luck on your songfic!

**Cherrychan1704 **– I can't wait til they start liking each other, too.

**Alexis Barnes** – Thanks.


	8. Alone Time Together

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Rurouni Kenshin was created by Nobuhiro Watsuki. This fanfic was created by me, for those of you who like the Aoshi-Kaoru pairing. Here's my small contribution (my only one, so far) to RK fandom. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Kaoru set down yet another basket of sweets in the Aoiya's kitchen. Another day of working at the Shirobeko had gone by, and she found Misao sitting by herself in the kitchen.

"How was your day?" Misao asked.

"The same," Kaoru answered. After working at the restaurant for a week, she had begun to feel bored. However, thinking of the money she would be able to save kept her working cheerfully enough. "You look like you're all dressed to go out. It's late in the afternoon already," she noted.

Misao flashed Kaoru a bright smile. "I'm taking the Oniwabanshu on a week-long training in the mountains," she said proudly. "As okashira, I have to see to it that we never forget our skills. We usually have practice drills every two months. I want you to come with us, demo… you have your work."

Kaoru grinned. "Me? I'm no ninja," she said decisively. "Informal training or none. Heh, Misao-chan, who's going to run the Aoiya? With you gone…"

"Oh, Jiya has other staff, non-Oniwabanshu," Misao said. "I'm sorry to be leaving you alone for a whole week, Kaoru-san! You came all the way from Tokyo and…"

"Don't even think about it, Misao-chan," Kaoru said sincerely. "If we spent time together everyday, you might come to loathe my face soon enough! Have fun, and do well in your training."

"We definitely will," Misao said. "See you in a week, Kaoru-san! If you need anything, even if it's just company, don't hesitate to approach Jiya."

"I will," Kaoru said, watching Misao leave. As soon as the younger girl left with the Oniwabanshu, she sighed. At least she would have some peace and quiet. She wondered who was going to cook, now that Okon and Omasu were out.

She absent-mindedly made her way to her room, changing out of her uniform and into a plain kimono. She then wandered downstairs, wondering if she could help around now that the Aoiya was undermanned. She was surprised to see a new woman in the kitchen, who introduced herself as the temporary cook.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Kaoru asked generously.

"Iie, my daughter will be here in a while to help me. Okina-san told me about you. He said you should just go and rest, leave the work to us," the woman said kindly.

"Oh," Kaoru said, wondering if Okina had mentioned anything about her cooking skills. "I'll be around if you need anything, anyway," she said as she made her way back into the hall.

Having nothing else to do, she went to the backyard and sat down on the steps. A few minutes later, she was rewarded with much welcome company in the person of Aoshi.

"You look bored," the former okashira observed.

"It's quiet without Misao and the others around," Kaoru confessed.

"I've gotten used to it," Aoshi said. "Misao sometimes takes the others on one of her practice drills. She has been planning this week-long exercise for a long time. She's young, but she's at least organized."

"I can see that," Kaoru said. "Why don't you join them?"

"I quit the Oniwabanshu when my comrades died," Aoshi said. "Although they still think of me as their former okashira, I have no more desire to return to the Oniwabanshu. It's too much."

"Too much what?" Kaoru can't help asking.

"I have too much guilt still," he answered after a while. "I did a lot of terrible things, it's really shameful."

"It doesn't matter to them," Kaoru said.

"It matters to me," he countered.

"Well… I guess it does," Kaoru admitted. "Do you think you'll ever go back to being the ninja you once were?"

Aoshi frowned. "That genius everybody admired back then? I don't think so. Like I said earlier, too much has happened to mold me into a completely different person. I suppose I just have to find another image for myself," he added with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Kaoru smiled, glad that he was talking about his past without the bitterness he had before. Inexplicably, she felt proud of him. _To have gotten over that tragedy, and to have forged a new life filled with peace and humility… and tea… Aoshi, you're a lot stronger that you think you are. _She then imagined Aoshi 'changing his image', and imagined the stoic man transformed into a boisterous freeloader like Sano, fishbone and all. Her smile widened and a giggle threatened to escape through her lips.

Aoshi eyed her warily, his eyes narrowing into suspicious slits. "Are you making fun of me, Kamiya?" he asked her unnecessarily, for she was sure that he knew what was on her mind.

"I didn't say anything," Kaoru said defensively, and it was true. She hastily erased the image of Aoshi with a fishbone from her mind.

"You are making fun of me again," he said, sounding like he was complaining.

Kaoru let out a short laugh. "I admit, an image popped into my head of an Aoshi Shinomori with a fishbone and a red headband. Sorry. It's just that sometimes, I hear things people say and I start thinking about them in a different way. Trust me, I do it a lot more often with Sano and Kenshin."

"Aa," Aoshi said, relenting. "I suppose Himura is one person who has changed his image…radically."

"You've seen him perform Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki twice," Kaoru agreed. "And you've also seen him do the laundry with Ayame-chan hanging at his back." She laughed. "I'd say it's a nice change." She paused, taking advantage of Aoshi's openness. "You've changed for the better too, Aoshi-san. But I don't think this is the end of the road for you. Sometimes I get the feeling that you're still… you're still…" She groped around for the right word, but she couldn't find it. She looked at him, wondering if he had gotten her point.

"It's true that I still feel like I'm lacking something," he admitted. "However, I'm in no hurry. I've been on the move for a long time, I like the slow pace of my life right now. It gives me more time to think."

"Don't think too much, though," she warned him, waving a finger at his face. "You might age prematurely."

"Aa, I'll keep that in mind," he said.

They lapsed into silence, watching the last of the sun dip below the horizon. In the growing darkness, Aoshi stood up. "We should get inside before the mosquitoes come," he told her.

She followed him indoors. "I wonder how Misao and the others are."

"They're probably setting up camp. They usually spend the first evening loosening up instead of training straight away."

"I miss kendo," Kaoru said suddenly. "I hope Yahiko's doing a good job handling my students."

"I'm sure he is," Aoshi said. He regarded her thoughtfully. "How about a friendly spar, Kamiya?"

Kaoru looked at her host, baffled. "With you?" she asked. "I'd be sure to lose in a matter of seconds."

He almost smirked. "That's not the right way to think, and you know better than that. Come, you say you miss kendo. It's something I can help you with."

He led her to their practice room, and she followed him. _I can't believe I'm going to spar with Shinomori Aoshi! I'm just going to end up embarrassing myself._

He handed her a bokken, and he got one for himself too. "I promise not to use kempo," he told her.

"Feel free to do whatever you like," she said generously, holding out her bokken in front of her in the Kamiya Kasshin stance. She stood several meters away from him, gauging him, before launching herself in an attack. She leaped towards him in one fluid motion, dipping low and turning so she could hit him at the elbow. She was almost there when he turned to meet her strike, his bokken countering hers.

Kaoru leaped back in case he counterattacked, and they stood several meters apart again. She grinned. She didn't think that she'd be able to land a hit on him, but it was nice to be practicing her kendo once again.

Aoshi angled his grip on his bokken and launched an attack, giving Kaoru multiple strikes which she blocked successfully. Kaoru took several steps back, until her back was against the room's wall. Realizing her vulnerability, she rolled to the side, avoiding being trapped between the wall and Aoshi.

He allowed her to move away, and she used the moment to attack again. Aoshi met her blow with his bokken again, and Kaoru used her weight to force their bokken to slide past one another. She quickly turned to deliver another blow to the side of his head, but he quickly caught her bokken with his hand before it could connect to his temple.

"Mou! You can't do that with a real sword," Kaoru said, standing there, watching him as he grasped her bokken.

"You aren't using a real sword," he told her just to tease her. Then he grew serious. "I couldn't block it in time with my bokken."

Kaoru paused to survey their position. Aoshi was holding his bokken with his right hand while he was holding her bokken at the end with his left. They were in such close proximity that he could not swing his bokken in defense without hitting her. "You could have hit me instead," Kaoru pointed out.

"Aa," he agreed. "And break your ribs in the process. But this is just a friendly spar, Kamiya. If I hit you at your side, it would hurt. Besides, I'm not that keen on having my head cracked open."

Kaoru stepped back, laughing. "I suppose," she agreed. "My attack left my right side open…"

"It did, though only a skilled swordsman could have noticed and launched an attack before he got hit by your attack. You move quickly."

"It's good to hear that from you," Kaoru said, setting her bokken down. "You're very good, Aoshi-san."

"It took a lot of work," he admitted. He set his bokken down as well. "That was good exercise."

"Hai," Kaoru agreed. The dinner bell sounded, and she realized that she was hungry. "Good timing, I'm starved! I hope the substitute cook is good."

"Misako-san? She's good. You won't feel lacking," he promised her as he prodded her towards the kitchen.

"If you say so," she said, allowing herself to be steered by the tall man.

* * *

Kaoru had a problem. With Misao gone, she didn't know what to do with her free day. She considered going to town again, but it wouldn't be fun doing that by herself. _I wonder if I can ask Aoshi to come with me…_

Then she caught herself. It was funny to think that the thought crossed her mind. _Who would have thought that I'd even consider that? But Aoshi's being a good host. He even offered to spar with me last night just to keep me occupied. It was awfully nice of him to hold back, too._

Her thoughts turned to the mysterious man. He had changed, indeed. She found it surprising that she actually liked his company. The question was, did she only like his company, or did she like him for himself? _It's difficult not to like him,_ she justified. _I can now see why Misao would be attracted to him. Goodness, I can't be attracted to him too, can I? That would be a mess. Here I am, supposedly helping Misao get over him. It would be weird if I fell for him in the process._

She laughed quietly as she rose from her futon. A few months ago, she would have thought it impossible to look at another man beyond Kenshin. And now here she was, thinking if she _liked_ Aoshi.

"Maybe it's because of the way he smirks when he teases me," she murmured. "Or the way he helps me with Misao while he's trying not to be too obvious about it. Or the way his hair falls over his eyes when he dips his head to think." She shook her head. Thinking about it will give her a headache. "Kenshin's hair also falls over his eyes when he bows his head in deep thought," she added, somewhat annoyed.

She got up and changed into another kimono. She went to the kitchen, which she found empty. It was an unusual thing. However, food was laid out on the table in the form of several rice bowls. Kaoru took the cover off one and started eating. Aoshi was right, the substitute cook was good enough.

She was just finishing off a second piece of pork gyoza when Aoshi entered the kitchen, dressed to go out. "Ohayo," she said cheerfully. "Work?"

"Aa," he answered, sitting opposite her and taking a rice bowl for himself. "You?"

"Sa," she answered truthfully. "It's my free day."

"Would you like to go to town with me?" he asked.

Kaoru almost bit her tongue. "I was thinking of that," she admitted. "Demo… you're going to work, aren't you?"

"I just have to pick up some papers that they want me to look over," he said.

"Sou desu ka," Kaoru murmured. "I'll come with you, if that's not a problem."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Would I offer to take you if it would be?" he asked rhetorically.

Kaoru shrugged, finishing her breakfast. She went over to the sink and began to wash it clean. With the Aoiya undermanned at the moment, she felt guilty about just leaving her bowl there. She rinsed the soap off it and hung it in the rack to dry. Aoshi came alongside her and she took his bowl from him, too.

"Iie, Kaoru-san," he protested.

"My hands are already wet," she pointed out in a tone of finality that made him stop further protests. She washed his bowl as well, and when she was done, she dried her hands with a towel. "Take it as thanks for babysitting me today. I promise I won't be a brat."

True to her word, Kaoru tried to behave as she thought apt. At the police station, she politely sat in one corner as Aoshi conversed with the chief. She was a little amused by the curious looks the other policemen were giving her. _They probably think it's weird for Aoshi to have a woman with him. Why shouldn't he? He's the best-looking man in this room._

She tried not to notice their stares as she looked down at her hands on her lap, frowning. _They could be less obvious about it, though, _she thought. She continued to look down, ignoring them, until a loud voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Well well, if it isn't Battousai's woman," a familiar voice drawled. "What are you doing here in Kyoto?"

Kaoru felt her face heat up as she looked up to pierce the speaker with an icy gaze. "I am not Battousai's woman. And stop calling him that, he has a name."

It was Katanagari Chou, one of Shishio's men who was recruited by the police. He cocked an eye at her. "A legend will always be a legend," he said. "You're here with Shinomori?"

"Hai," Kaoru said, softening her tone. She offered no further explanations.

"Sou desu ka," Chou said, crossing his arms. "And what does Battousai think of that?" He held up his hands in a defensive position, laughing. "Just joking, little girl. Frankly, it's none of my business, and I don't really care. Ja," he said, turning around and leaving her sitting there.

Kaoru sighed. Now she noticed something different from the way the policemen were looking at her. They were less obvious now, some even looking away completely. _Yeah, fear the wrath of the legendary Battousai when you stare too much at his woman, _she thought, chuckling.

She was glad when Aoshi approached her. "Let's go," he said as he rolled a sheaf of papers in his hand and tucked them in the inside pocket of his coat. "Sorry it took a bit longer than I expected."

"It's all right," she said. "Some of those policemen were staring at me."

"It's not usual for them to be visited by ladies," he said. "They forget their manners."

Kaoru nodded. "Where are we going now?" she asked.

He stopped walking and looked at her. "Wherever you want to go," he said.

She laughed. "I've got no plans," she said. "But since we're here, I want to go to the marketplace and get those paper dolls I want for the girls."

They walked to the market, where Kaoru was delighted with the wide selection of toys. She found the paper dolls she wanted, and she was about to buy them when Aoshi called her attention. "You might want to look around a bit, there are a lot of other stuff here," he said.

"You're right," she said, placing the dolls down. She walked to the next stall where he was pointing out several fancy clips. Kaoru grinned. "Those would look good on the girls," she murmured.

They walked a few stalls further, and she saw more toys that she thought the girls would enjoy. When they got to the end of the line, Kaoru had a problem. She didn't know what to get. "I want to give them a lot," she said to Aoshi. "Mou! And I thought I was just coming here to get some paper dolls."

Aoshi frowned. "I thought you would like to see some other choices…"

"Yeah, thanks," she said, looking over her shoulder at the other stalls. "I'll just get those dolls first, because that's what I planned on giving them anyway. I'll just come back another time after I get my second week's pay. And I saw a bag there I think Megumi would like. She could put her doctor's kit in there…" Kaoru's voice trailed off as she went back to the first stall, with Aoshi following.

After she had secured her purchases, she turned to her host. "Anywhere you'd like to go to?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Why don't we just eat?" he said, nodding towards a different restaurant.

"Okay," she agreed. It was nearing lunch time, and it was a good idea to rest indoors to avoid the heat of the noonday sun. "We have to hide, though. Sae might think I'm committing treason, eating at another restaurant," she joked. "You're so tall, I could definitely hide behind you."

They seated themselves at a corner table adjacent to the window. Kaoru didn't know the specialty of the house, so she let Aoshi order for her. Once the serving girl had left them alone, she leaned forward to make conversation. "Do you eat here a lot?"

"Aa. Most of the policemen like it here because it's more spacious than the Shirobeko, although the food is the same. Sometimes I join them for lunch, so I have become familiar with this place too."

"I see," she said, looking out the window.

The kitchen was quick. Their orders arrived within five minutes, and Kaoru eyed the attractive sushi in front of her. "This looks nice," she said, almost to herself. "I wonder why I can't make sushi as nice-looking as this."

"It's better to eat it rather than just look at it," Aoshi said.

She flashed him a look before biting into a piece of sushi. She smiled. "You're right, it is," she said. She followed his gaze and looked out the window to see several costumed men walking down the street. "Are those guys for real?" she asked.

"Circus," Aoshi said, turning his attention back to his food. "Have you seen the circus?"

"Once," Kaoru said. Then she corrected herself. "Actually, I didn't really see it… I sort of joined it." She told Aoshi about the time that the Kenshin-gumi helped a father and his daughter save their show from sabotage. "Sano had to endure my knife-throwing abilities and Kenshin had to dance with an umbrella."

Aoshi raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "I'd like to see that," he said.

"He even sang a few lines," Kaoru said, joining his laughter. "What about you? Have you seen the circus?"

"Aa, I used to accompany Misao when she was small. The Oniwabanshu had an opportunity to disguise as mascots for a case before. Hanya was the one we sent."

"I can imagine," Kaoru said, picturing Hanya's frightful mask. "Was he a hit?"

"Not with the kids," Aoshi said. "They were scared of him. We had much use of Beshimi's projectile weapons, too. Hanya was his target."

Kaoru nodded as she listened to his story. _It's the first time I actually heard him talk about his men. _She was transfixed by the light in his blue eyes. When she caught herself gazing at him, she tore her eyes away to observe her sushi, keeping her ears tuned in on what he was saying, letting his soft tones wash over her.

"Your men," she said when he paused. "How did they become Oniwabanshu?"

"They were born into it," he explained readily. "Their forefathers were ninjas. When they were born, they were trained in martial arts. However, I was the one who encouraged them to specialize in certain aspects of fighting, and I helped them train. Because of their exceptional abilities, they gained the respect of the rest of the Oniwabanshu."

"I see," she said. "I was born into kendo, too. My father was the one who started Kamiya Kasshin, but he died before I could officially succeed him as master. I trained by myself. Now I'm training Yahiko so he could carry on the style."

"I heard from Kenshin that your dojo has been attracting a lot of students lately."

"Hai," Kaoru said happily. "It's good, because they pay. It's even better because I get the chance to teach the philosophy of Kamiya Kasshin. The students seem to be taken by it. I hope they grow into better adults because of it." She told Aoshi more about her fighting style. He was a good listener, never interrupting her until she stopped speaking. She finished her tale and her sushi at the same time. "If my dad was still here, I'm sure he'd be proud."

"I'm sure," he agreed. He raised his hand to call the serving girl, paying her for their meal.

"Here, let me share it with you," Kaoru said, holding out several coins to him.

"Never mind," Aoshi said, pushing her hand down gently. "Are you ready to go back to the Aoiya now?"

Kaoru nodded as she picked up the bag containing her paper dolls. She followed Aoshi outside. "Thank you for accompanying me today," she said.

He just nodded, giving her a half smile in return for her thanks. Kaoru was surprised when he offered her his arm. She took it, placing her hand lightly in the crook of his arm. _I actually had fun having lunch with him. He never ceases to surprise me. _She gave an inaudible sigh. _Misao and Aoshi aren't committed… but why do I feel as if I'm going behind Misao's back?_ She shook her head mentally, but the feeling of contentment in her was slowly being replaced by a growing sense of guilt.

End of Chapter.

* * *

My updates are getting farther and farther apart! It's because of school, damn. Why do we go to school, anyway? Kidding. I just want to assure you that I have no plans of abandoning this fic. I might take longer to update in the future, but I'll definitely finish this project, and then maybe even go for a sequel or a companion fic. Sorry to keep you waiting for long, but I really have to play the role of a good student and spend more time studying, haha.

As usual, thanks to everyone who reviewed!

**Mistress of hyde** – I know it would be nice to have Aoshi's POV sometimes, but I'm focusing on Kaoru in this fic. I'm actually thinking of writing a companion fic dealing with Aoshi's POV separately, and sort of to make this fic a his and hers kind of thing. Anyway, they start having some alone time in this chapter, so expect more developments to come in the next few chapters.

**Mori'quessir** – Thanks for keeping up with the story. Updates are farther apart, sorry, but I'll finish this slowly but surely.

**Meimi-ren** – Yup, Aoshi's such a darling. Don't you just want to meet someone like him in real life?

**L1Ldumie TK** – Thanks!

**Bradybunch 4529** – The next few chapters will have more Aoshi-Kaoru in it, since Misao's gone for the time being. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for continuing to read this fic.

**White Rabbit** – Wow, I appreciate everything you said, especially since I'm new at writing and a little apprehensive about sharing my work. Your reviews help me a lot, so thanks. I'm glad you like the way I wrote things so far. I think Kaoru and Misao have the potential of a really beautiful friendship, it's a shame that they live far from each other.

**DB **– Thanks for dropping a line. Hope you enjoy this next chapter.

**Flaming amber** – I'm a Kaoru addict as well. There will be some slight action in later parts (in the next chapter, maybe), but it's just a bit, really.

**Cleo** -

**Alexis Barnes** – Thanks too.

**Ardenilia** – Thanks for reading my fic. Here's my next chapter…


	9. Breath of Fresh Air

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin was created by Nobuhiro Watsuki, not me. I just 'borrowed' his characters to try my hand at RK fandom.

* * *

Kaoru watched as Okina rummaged through yet another basket of goods she had brought from the Shirobeko. The old man had such a penchant for sweets. "Sae-san thought you might like those doll-shaped pastries. I remember you loved those from Tokyo. These ones might taste just the same."

Okina bit into one of the doll-shaped pastries and chewed on it. His eyes lit up. "They taste the same! I don't have to go to Tokyo to get my favorite dessert!"

Kaoru laughed. "Lucky for you," she said, standing up and excusing herself. She had just come home from work and wanted to change out of her uniform, for it smelled a lot like the Shirobeko kitchen already. She was wondering why dogs weren't following her home, the way she smelled.

An hour later, she dressed herself in a fresh kimono after a relaxing bath. She went to the kitchen again, hoping to find some company. To her delight, Aoshi was there. She hadn't seen him all day, for he left the Aoiya very early that morning. She seated herself across the table from him and watched what he was doing.

He looked up from the sheaf of papers he was reading. "How was your day?" he asked.

"The same routine," Kaoru said. "How about yours? You left so early this morning."

"I went to an adjacent town to accompany some policemen. They had to make an arrest, and the police chief thought they might need an extra hand. Everything went smoothly, though. This is a report of the proceedings," Aoshi said, indicating the paper that he was reading.

"It must have been exciting," she said.

"It's nothing like what I used to do before with the Oniwabanshu," he said wryly. "You don't have work tomorrow, right?"

"Hai," she confirmed. "What do you have in store for me?" she kidded him. "Another free lunch?"

"Free lunch courtesy of the Aoiya," he answered. "But how would you feel having it in the mountain?"

"A picnic?" Kaoru asked, her blue eyes widening.

"Something like that," he said. "It's Thursday tomorrow, and the Oniwabanshu led by Misao have been in the mountain for about three days already. That is half of their intended duration of stay. Okina thinks that I should check up on them and see to it that they aren't running out of supplies. The old man lets Misao lead the Oniwabanshu by herself, but sometimes he can't help but ask me to look after them once in a while."

"So you're going to see them tomorrow?" Kaoru asked.

"Aa. Do you want to come with me?"

"May I?" she asked politely even though it was obvious to him that she wanted to come.

Aoshi nodded. "Would I ask you, if you couldn't come with me?" he pointed out. "It would be a good chance for you to see the countryside. It's the same mountain where Hiko Seijuro has his hut, but he lives in a different area."

"Great, thanks," Kaoru said. "Something nice to look forward to, tomorrow."

"Wear the ninja outfit Misao lent you. It's better for traveling than a kimono."

Kaoru wrinkled her nose at the idea of wearing shorts again, but she nodded. "If you say so, though I really hate it… I'd better go and prepare it so I won't forget."

She stood up to go, but Aoshi held up a hand while he fished in his pocket with the other. "Kaoru-san, I picked this up at the post office this afternoon. A letter for you, from Tokyo."

She sat back down, opening the letter excitedly. "It's from Kenshin," she told him. "With a few scribbles from Yahiko and Sano."

She lapsed into silence as she read Kenshin's letter. It was a long one. Apparently, the rurouni thought she needed news on her dojo.

_Yahiko is doing well, training your students. I didn't know he had it in him. He has them practicing drills diligently. You would be proud of him, I'm sure. He has such command over them, but he seems to turn shy whenever I'm around. For that reason, I steer clear of the dojo during class hours. I'm not needed there, anyway._

_Sano is behaving himself quite nicely too. He helps me fish in the river to keep our stomachs satisfied. He still stays out late at night, gambling, though. He lost a fair amount of money last night and Megumi-dono had to bail him out of trouble. She sends her regards._

_How is Misao-dono doing? I bet she's back to her lively self. It's impossible not to be cheery when around you. Yahiko won't admit it, but he's been a little lonely lately. He misses you, though he denies it vehemently. It's quite obvious, though._

_Extend my regards to Okina and Aoshi... Kenshin._

She folded up the letter after she finished reading it, a slight smile on her face. "Good news?" Aoshi asked.

"A lot of news," she said. "They're doing fine." She relayed Kenshin's message to him.

"Yahiko seems to be doing good handling your students," Aoshi observed.

"Hai," Kaoru agreed. "I'm sure those three are enjoying their time together without the lady of the house." She stood up again. "I'd better go prepare my things. See you tomorrow, Aoshi-san!" She tossed him a small wave before exiting the kitchen.

* * *

The next morning found her wearing the uniform. She rubbed her legs to warm them as she stood outside the Aoiya. Aoshi had told her to wait for him there while he arranged some things. She didn't ask any questions, and when he appeared a few minutes later, her jaw dropped in dismay.

Aoshi caught her look, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"You didn't say anything about…" her voice trailed off as she looked at the two large horses he was pulling behind him.

"How do you expect us to get there fast without riding horses?" he asked her.

Kaoru looked at the animal with a growing sense of dread. "I've never ridden a horse before," she confided in him.

He pointed to the stirrup. "You secure your foot here as you balance yourself on top of the horse. You control the horse using the reins."

She bit her lip and gazed at him wordlessly. Aoshi gave an audible sigh and motioned for her to approach the horse, which she did obediently. Then he bent down and laced his fingers together, forming a secure foothold. "I'll help you up the horse. It's not so bad, Kaoru-san. I'm sure you'll like it."

Frowning, she gingerly placed her left foot in his hands and he heaved her onto the horse, which stood surprisingly still. Kaoru straddled the horse, remembering to hook both of her feet through the stirrups. _So that's why he told me not to wear a kimono. It's not so bad sitting atop a still horse, but what if it starts moving?_

Aoshi secured several bags of supplies at the back of his horse before mounting it. Then he steered his steed alongside Kaoru's, showing her how to hold the reins. "You pull on it to slow down the pace of the horse. If you want to quicken his pace, you just use your foot to give it a light nudge."

"I don't think I'll want it to quicken its pace," Kaoru joked. She held onto the reins as her horse started to follow Aoshi's. The ninja started out at a slow walk, gradually increasing his horse's pace into a trot.

After a few minutes, Kaoru found herself to be having fun. The early morning air woke her up and cheered her spirit. She started to relax, swaying with the motion of her mount. Feeling a little bit more confident, she leaned down to stroke her horse's neck. She straightened up in time to catch Aoshi looking back at her. She gave him a bright smile. "You're right, it's not so bad," she said.

He merely nodded and urged his horse to a faster pace. Kaoru's mount followed suit, and soon the two of them were going at a steady canter. They left the city far behind them as they neared the mountain. The houses were more far apart, separated by wide open fields. Soon, they passed into the beginnings of a forest, and Aoshi slowed his pace.

Kaoru pulled on the reins, slowing down her horse as well. The forest was not that thick, and some of the morning sun filtered through the branches over their heads. She wondered how they were going to find Misao, but Aoshi spoke and answered her unspoken question.

"They practice on the west side of the mountain," he said. "I don't know how far they went into the forest, though. I have to rely on their tracks."

He reached over and took the reins from Kaoru's hands, swinging them over her horse's head so that he can lead them directly. He expertly maneuvered through the trail as they moved higher up the mountain. "You know the area well," Kaoru observed.

"This is where I trained with Hannya and the others," he said. "I was the one who recommended the place to Misao." He turned left at a fork in the trail, and from there, the trail became narrower and less even.

After ten more minutes, Aoshi found what he was looking for---a shallow stream studded with stepping stones. He stopped to dismount, leading the two horses to a nearby tree and tying them such that they could graze and drink at the stream. He then indicated that Kaoru should also dismount, which she did.

Aoshi caught her by the shoulders as she fell backwards, her knees weakened by the long ride. "Sorry," she said sheepishly, righting herself.

"Feels good to be back on solid ground, I bet," he said.

"Hai," she answered. "But it was a nice experience to ride here."

Aoshi untied the bag of supplies from his horse's back and slung the bag over his shoulder. "We have to walk uphill for a few more minutes," he said. "I hope your knees have recovered."

Kaoru took a few shaky steps before regaining proper control of her legs. "Daijobu," she said to reassure him. "I can manage."

The water of the stream looked enticing, and Kaoru decided to wade through the stream rather than skip over the stones as Aoshi was doing. _Might as well make good use of my short outfit, _she thought, amused. She joined Aoshi on the other side, grinning. "The water is so cool," she said to him as she came alongside him. "I couldn't trust my knees," she confessed.

He gave a half smile before turning around. "I found their trail. All we have to do is to follow it. We'll find them soon enough."

He started walking and Kaoru followed him, wondering how he had found the trail. He pointed to several faint tracks on the hard earth, and several broken twigs. "You see, the earth here has been disturbed recently. And these branches have been snapped to make a clearing," he said, touching a branch that was bent over backwards.

"You're so observant," Kaoru said, impressed. She followed him further up the mountain. The trail was a little difficult, for some of the rocks were loose and she had to pay attention to her footing. Aoshi was walking fast, and the higher altitude was taking its toll on Kaoru's lungs.

"Let's rest for a while," Aoshi said, stopping at a little clearing. He set the bag down and looked at Kaoru, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

Kaoru stopped walking and placed her hand on her hips. "It's my first time up this mountain," she said defensively.

"Didn't you visit Hiko Seijuro before?"

"We did, but his house isn't this high up," Kaoru said.

"Sit down and save your breath," Aoshi said, reaching into the bag and pulling out a water casing. He handed it to her, and Kaoru realized how thirsty she was. She took a few gulps before giving it back to him.

Aoshi wandered around the clearing, and when he picked up Misao's trail again, he indicated to Kaoru that they should start walking again. Kaoru followed him, thankful that he was going at a slower pace this time. They didn't talk, which was fine for Kaoru. The sounds of the mountain were pleasantly foreign to her, and she forgot how sore her legs were feeling when she allowed herself to listen to the song of the birds.

She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't notice Aoshi stopping. She walked right into his back. "Oh!" she said, taking two steps backward.

He glanced at her, a gleam of satisfaction lighting up his blue eyes. "You hear them, Kaoru-san?" he asked.

She tipped her head, and she could hear Misao's voice arguing with Omasu about a drill they were performing. "Hai," she said. "That's Misao-chan for sure."

Aoshi nodded and continued forward, emerging into the clearing where the Oniwabanshu had set up camp. Misao was facing in their direction, and a big grin crept onto her face when she saw Aoshi. "Aoshi-sama! You followed us! And you brought Kaoru-san too."

"Your trail was easy to find," Aoshi said. "Try not to be so obvious next time."

Misao hung her head. "I thought we covered our tracks pretty well."

"It was better than last time," Aoshi conceded. "Okina thought you might need fresh supplies."

Misao looked at the bag Aoshi had brought. "We still have some of our original stock, but thanks," she said. "We just finished our morning drills. Omasu had just finished cooking our lunch. Kaoru-san, how do you find this place?"

Kaoru looked around. "We don't have anything like this in Tokyo," she said. "It's breathtaking."

"Aa, it is," Aoshi added, looking pointedly at Kaoru. "Kamiya literally lost her breath walking up the mountain."

"You were going too fast," Kaoru complained.

Misao cast Aoshi a disapproving look, which dissolved into laughter when she saw Kaoru land a hit on Aoshi's shoulder. Aoshi calmly rubbed the sore spot as he edged away from Kaoru. "Join us for lunch," Misao said.

"I'd love to," Kaoru said, rubbing her hand. She had hit Aoshi pretty hard, and her hand was still stinging from the impact while the tall man didn't even flinch.

"Okina sent some meat," Aoshi said, following them. He retrieved a package wrapped in paper from the bag and handed it to Shiro.

"Good. We've been on a fish diet since yesterday," Misao said. "At least we can have meat tonight…" She handed Kaoru a bowl filled with rice and fish meat. A large leaf was placed inside the bowl to keep the bowl clean and do away with the necessity of washing it. "I bet you're hungry after that hike, ne?" she teased.

Kaoru nodded. "It was fun, though. I got to ride a horse for the first time. Another thing to add on my list of adventures, definitely."

Misao turned to give Aoshi a bowl of food as well, and the three of them sat down together with the rest of the Oniwabanshu. They were silent as they finished their lunch, and Kaoru noticed that while they appeared to be on a picnic, there was a business-like air about the group. _I guess they're serious about this training,_ she thought.

After a few minutes, they all finished their meal. "Let me take that for you, Kaoru-san," Omasu said, reaching for Kaoru's bowl. She carefully rolled the leaf and threw it in a paper bag full of waste. She wiped the bowl clean before setting it aside with the other bowls.

"Arigato," Kaoru said.

Misao stood up and stretched her legs. "We'll have half an hour to rest," she told her group. "Aoshi-sama, can I talk to you for a while?"

Aoshi looked up from where he was sitting, a little surprised. Then he nodded and stood up, following Misao as she walked away. Kaoru looked after them with concern. "Is Misao-chan all right?" she asked.

"Hai. Don't worry," Okon said. "She's just going to ask him about training. Misao takes her role as okashira seriously, and Aoshi supports her in this. He gives her valuable advice."

"That's good," Kaoru said.

"Since you came here, she has been a lot happier," Omasu said. "We were afraid that Misao will mope around for a long time. It's a good thing that Aoshi is talking to her more often now. Come to think of it, what did you tell him, Kaoru-san? He's started to talk to us more than before, too. Not really long conversations, but at least he doesn't act like we don't exist anymore."

Kaoru shrugged. "I didn't really tell him anything. I just thought that Misao might be lonely because she lacked friends."

"I suppose," Okon said. "We haven't really been there for her, either. Until when do you intend to stay with us, Kaoru-san?"

Kaoru thought about it. "Well… I thought I should stay until Misao-chan feels better. Now that it seems she does… perhaps a week or two more." She looked at the girls. "Promise me one thing, both of you," she said firmly. "When I go, don't leave Misao out of everything. I understand that sometimes you feel that she is fragile because of the feelings she has for Aoshi, but I believe that isn't the case. She just wants to be close to somebody."

"We promise," Omasu said, smiling. "It's actually cute to see Misao and Aoshi together. It reminds us of the time before he left, when he took care of her."

"Well, she doesn't need any taking care of now," Kaoru pointed out. "She just needs friends."

They stopped talking when Misao and Aoshi returned from their private conversation. "All right, minna, break is almost over," Misao said cheerfully. "We'll have another drill this afternoon. This time, we're going to focus on projectile weapons…"

Aoshi knelt down beside Kaoru. "We should go," he said quietly. "She's back in okashira mode now…"

Kaoru nodded. "Okay." She stood up, tossed Misao a silent wave, and followed Aoshi as they hiked back down the mountain. She was pleased to have had the chance to talk to Okon and Omasu while Misao was with Aoshi.

"Oh, Aoshi-san," she said as she remembered a question she had been meaning to ask. "What did you and Misao-chan talk about?"

"She wanted to know how Beshimi learned to shoot projectiles with such speed and accuracy," he replied, slowing down so she could catch up to him.

"Sou desu," Kaoru murmured. "Do you still feel awkward when you talk to her, afraid that you might be leading her on?"

"Not today," he said with an amused smile. "She's all okashira today. I'm no longer afraid of her feelings, Kaoru-san, if that is what you want to know. The more time I spend with her, the more I feel that things with her are starting to fall into place. She's back to being my little Misao, and I'm happy about that."

Kaoru nodded. "I'm glad," she said. "That means I can go home soon," she added merrily, eliciting another smile from him. The smile lifted her heart further, and the return hike and the long ride home passed by quickly for her.

End of chapter.

* * *

There! It took quite a while… but I wanted to write things nicely and not rush them. I've got two more chapters all ready for posting after this, but I'm waiting for your reactions, comments, criticisms, because I'm already trying to tie up a lot of things and I don't know if I'm doing them all right enough. So please review so I can know what you think, including any suggestions. I might not take up your suggestions, but I'll think about them. Obviously I'm having a hard time drawing all the things together.. it always happens that way, when you start ending a story, I guess.

Anyway, thanks to all those who reviewed!

**justagirl8225** – Thanks for appreciating it! I like reading RK fanfictions myself, and this is the first time I tried out an AK pairing. I'm liking it so far.

**mistressofhyde** – Yeah, school's taking up a lot of my time now. But I still spend some evenings musing about what I'd like to happen next to A&K. It's fun doing that.

**L1Ldumie TK** – Why does your finger hurt? It gives me shivers just thinking of how sweet Kaoru and Aoshi can be… especially later on. I hope you keep on checking back for more!

**WhiteRabbit5 **– I'm very flattered with the way you think I did it okay. I know it's so complicated for Kaoru, but she looks so good with Aoshi (and vice versa) when I imagine them together in this fic. Yeah, Aoshi's starting to trust her as a friend. Who wouldn't, anyway? She's so nice.

**Mori'quessir** – Well. Here's another update! Geez, I hope I can write faster than this, though. But my brew's still brewing, and that's good enough for me.

**Bradybunch 4529** – I couldn't update sooner, gomene! I like the tension, too, and the way Kaoru sort of likes Aoshi but she holds back… Hmm.. I'm sure Aoshi's feeling somewhat the same way.

**Flaming-amber** – Yeah, I felt the chill in my bones when I wrote it, too. Stay tuned for more---definitely more---coming up in the next two or three chapters, probably by next month. I've already got their rough drafts. More sweet moments.

**Clemen** – Thanks. Nope, no love triangle yet. That comes in the climax, later, later pa.

cockroachelle – Yes! AK all the way!

**Meimi-ren** – I hope you did well in your exam! I got loads of exams too. Good thing I can write to relieve my stress, it's nice to do that.

**REVlover92** – Wow, thanks for that great review. I'm glad you liked it.

**PRoyalAngel **– Oh, Misao will say a LOT of things. I'm very sure.

**mischiefmagnet **– You can stop being sad now 'cause here's a new chapter. Haha! Sorry it took so long, but I was thinking of how I wanted things to develop (in between my classes, anyway).

I hope you review again because I think I need help evaluating this chapter… Thanks!

Btw, I'm thinking of writing Aoshi's version of this story (from his point of view). It's going to be a challenge going into his mind. What do you think? I'll finish this one first before I start writing another one, though. So, should I write it, Aoshi's POV too? Hmmm….


	10. Overtime Adventures and Maladies

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin and any of its characters, much to my disappointment. I wish I could be as creative as Nobuhiro Watsuki.

* * *

She woke up the next morning realizing that she had a long day ahead of her. "Overtime again," she murmured as she rolled off her futon and got up. She bathed quickly, putting on the now familiar orange uniform of the Shirobeko.

Her legs were a little sore from the previous day's hike, but otherwise, she felt refreshed by her long sleep. She went straight to bed last night upon arriving at the Aoiya, even skipping dinner. She grabbed a rice ball from the Aoiya's kitchen and ate on her way to work.

"Ohayo, Sae-san!" she said as she entered the restaurant. "I'm ready for another day of working again!"

"Good, Kaoru-san," Sae said as she ushered Kaoru into the kitchen. "It's a little early still, but it's Friday today. It's always a busy day."

"Hai," Kaoru said as she got a tray. She filled it with paper placemats and started going around the restaurant, fixing up the tables before the first wave of customers came. She paid particular attention to the little flower vases on each table, making sure that the dead leaves were plucked out.

An hour after she had arrived, the customers started coming. Kaoru worked with three other girls, taking orders and delivering them to the kitchen. By the time lunch time rolled around, she was thankful to have a break and be relieved for a while. She sat down to have lunch with Sae.

"Tired?" Sae asked.

"Iie," Kaoru answered truthfully. "I'm used to it already, after a week. I'm not even daunted by the idea of working overtime tonight. After all, it's Friday," she added with a grin.

"Of course," Sae said, grinning as well. "You'll be going home with your week's earnings later."

Kaoru nodded. "With that money, I can continue buying the souvenirs I want to take back with me to Tokyo. Which reminds me, do you want to send anything to Tae-san?"

Sae thought about it. "I don't think so," she murmured. "Perhaps a letter from our father. Hai, I'll ask him to send her a letter."

Kaoru finished her rice bowl. "Just hand it to me before I go home," she told her employer. "I'm going back to work now, Sae-san."

"Rest if you need to," Sae called out after her.

Kaoru continued to wait on tables, not minding the time, until hours after the sun had disappeared over the horizon. The Shirobeko was still busy, it being a Friday night, but her shift was over. Kaoru went to the kitchen to clean herself up before her walk home, as was her routine.

"Here," Sae said, handing her a small pouch bag. "You deserve it. Won't you have any problems walking home this late?"

"Iie," Kaoru said, dropping the purse in her pocket. "I went home an hour later last time, remember?"

Sae bit her lip. "But… it's so dark outside. And you're a woman…"

Kaoru grinned reassuringly. "Just let them try and make the mistake of coming after me. They won't know what hit them. Daijobu, Sae-san. Don't worry. Good night."

"Good night, Kaoru-san," Sae said to her retreating back.

Kaoru stepped outside. It was already nine in the evening. She smiled as she contemplated making a run for it again through the woods and the rice fields. _It would surely cut my travel time in half, _she considered.

She had just reached the outer edges of the town when she became aware of three men following her closely. _Strange. Since when have they been following me? Could they be hostile?_ She quickened her pace without trying to be obvious about it. Unfortunately, the men noticed, and they matched her increase in pace.

Kaoru tried not to look back while she searched her mind for any way to get rid of her stalkers. She found none, unarmed as she was. She didn't think it would help to go back into town, for that would mean that she would pass them by. She maintained her quick pace until she felt one of the men catch up to her and grab her arm.

"It's dangerous for a woman to be walking along this road alone at night," the man said in a smooth voice. "You're very unlucky that we found you…"

Kaoru sucked in her breath and willed herself not to panic. She turned to face the man holding her arm, but it was too dark to see his face clearly. "What do you want?" she asked in what she hoped was a calm voice. "If it's money, you're going to be disappointed…" She thought of the hard-earned money she had tucked away in her pocket.

"I don't think so," another man said, appearing at Kaoru's other side. "We know it's the weekend… it's payday."

Kaoru frowned. So they weren't that clueless. But she wasn't as clueless either---she certainly knew enough moves to defend herself against three men. She took them by surprise, jabbing a fist into the crotch of the man holding onto her arm and using her shoulder to push the second man away. She twisted free of them, and she ran as fast as she could without tripping, her eyes frantically searching for something that she could use as a weapon. She found none.

She heard the three men chasing her, and she knew she wouldn't be able to outrun them all the way to the Aoiya. Glancing over her shoulder quickly, she noted that the first man was very much closer to her than the others. Stopping abruptly, she swung herself around to hit the man on the cheek, knocking him unconscious as his head spun to the side. Kaoru looked at the two other men approaching her, and she realized that she had a weapon that she could use after all. Reaching down, she removed one of her wooden sandals. It wasn't close enough to a bokken, but it was something.

She met one of her attackers head on, dodging his outstretched arm and delivering a blow to the back of his head. He staggered back away from her, but his partner came forward to grab Kaoru's armed hand. He twisted it behind her back, and Kaoru turned with him to lessen the pain. They stumbled together, losing their balance and falling over the edge of the road and into the water-filled canal that made up part of the city's irrigation system. Luckily, she landed above him so she wasn't hurt much from the fall. Not wasting any time, she wrenched her hand and her sandal free from him while he struggled to right himself in the shallow water. In a move quicker than a heartbeat, Kaoru knocked him unconscious as well.

She stood up, eyeing the final man who was still on his feet. She glared at him, all of the fear she felt earlier now replaced by indignation. "Are you still coming after me?" she demanded. "You think my week's earnings is really worth it?"

The man hesitated, and Kaoru climbed out of the canal to confront him at a closer distance. The man didn't wait for her to get out of the water completely. After weighing his options, he turned around and started to run for it. "Coward," Kaoru muttered as she threw her sandal at his retreating back with all of her strength. It hit his back between the shoulders, making him stumble. Kaoru reached for her other sandal, throwing it with a better aim and hitting him at the back of his head. He fell to the ground, unconscious. "Thank Kami-sama for my perfect aim," Kaoru muttered.

She stood at the side of the road, barefoot and dripping wet. All three men were still unconscious, but the first man to attack her was already starting to show signs of recovering his consciousness. As she contemplated what to do next, she saw a flash of white in the darkness.

"Kaoru-san?"

"Aoshi!" Kaoru said joyfully. She waited as he came to her side. "I was walking home and these men tried to rob me of my money."

Aoshi studied the scene calmly. "That's what I guessed," he said. He walked over to the man nearest them, the one starting to regain consciousness, and he delivered a swift blow to his head that plunged him back to sleep. He looked back at her, frowning slightly. "Are you hurt?"

"No," Kaoru said, shaking her head. "But these men…"

"They need to be handed over to the police," Aoshi said, picking up her sandals where they had fallen. He handed them to her, and she thanked him. "I know you're soaked from your fall into the canal, but you need to find a policeman and have these men arrested while I guard them."

Kaoru straightened up. "Don't worry, I'll find one," she said. "I'll be back soon."

"Here," he said, shrugging off his coat and offering it to her. "It's a cool night."

She took the white coat tentatively, wrapping it around her body tightly. It was too long for her, and it almost reached the ground. "Arigato," she said. "I'll be right back."

"Try not to trip," he said, eyeing her with a doubtful frown.

She pretended to throw him an indignant look. "Well excuse me," she said, laughing to lighten their mood.

Not wasting any time, she went to the police station, where one of the policemen recognized her as Shinomori Aoshi's companion. Needless to say, they recognized the coat. Two policemen accompanied her back to where Aoshi was waiting with the robbers, who were subsequently taken into custody leaving Kaoru and Aoshi alone.

They turned towards the direction of the Aoiya. Kaoru glanced at the man walking beside her. "It was a good thing you were on your way to town," she murmured.

"I was going to fetch you," he said. "I thought your shift ended at ten."

She looked up, surprised. "What---oh, thank you," she said. "It was…"

"If you're going to tell me it was unnecessary, I think tonight just proved you wrong," he said, cutting her off. Then in a gentler tone, he continued, "You were able to defend yourself, but what it you aren't able to do so next time?"

She shrugged. "I think I will always be able to look after myself. But if you insist on escorting me home whenever my shift ends late, then there's nothing I can do about it," she said with a smile. "I'm not the one who has to walk the extra mile."

"Aa, well, I insist," he said firmly.

She nodded. "My shift ends at nine. I just stayed an extra hour last week because they were shorthanded."

They walked the rest of the way in silence until they reached the Aoiya. Aoshi opened the gate for her. "Take a…"

"Hai. A warm bath," she said, beating him to it. "Thanks, Aoshi. I'll just return your coat tomorrow."

"No hurry," he said, following her inside.

"Yeah, you probably have half a dozen more coats like these hidden in your room. It's all I ever see you in when you go out," she said, teasing him.

"Go take a bath," he replied, prodding her lightly with his hand.

"Hai. Oyasumi, Aoshi-san," she said, laughing as she went to the bathhouse. She didn't see the smile playing around his lips as he retired upstairs.

* * *

Kaoru felt groggy. She had a good night's sleep, but she could not lift her arms nor sit up in bed without feeling as if the room was spinning. Opening her eyes, she looked around her slowly to orient herself.

_It's morning, I'm in my room. Am I sick?_

A single quick shake of her head and a resulting feeling of nausea told her that she was. With a sigh, she relaxed on her futon, recounting the events of the previous evening. Falling into that canal and not being able to get out of her wet clothes in the cool night must have given her a bad dose of the colds. At least, she hoped it was that benign.

Not wanting to move a muscle, she gave in to an overwhelming desire to sleep. She didn't know how long she slept, but when she next opened her eyes, someone was kneeling next to her, putting a hand to her forehead. "Aoshi?" she asked. _Kami-sama, is that really my voice? I sound awful!_

"You're warm," he said.

"I don't feel too well," she told him.

"You were tired yesterday, then you fell into the water. You're sick with the flu."

"I know," Kaoru said. "But I've gotten sick with the flu before. I just need to rest for a while."

"Good idea," Aoshi said, nodding. "I'll have the cook send something for you to eat."

"What time is it?"

"Nearly lunch time."

"Oh." She closed her eyes. She heard him leave the room, the sliding door seeming to be louder than usual. She put a hand to her throbbing head. After a while, the door opened again and Misako entered with a tray. "Ohayo," Kaoru said.

Misako looked concerned. "I brought some food," she said kindly. "I know you feel tired, but it would make you feel a lot better if you eat something."

"Arigato," Kaoru answered. "I'll be fine, Misako-san."

Misako gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before rising up and leaving her. Kaoru eyed the tray, which contained a bowl of soup, a rice bowl, and a cup of green tea. She sat up slowly, reaching for the soup. She lifted the bowl to her lips, letting the steam warm her face. Taking a sip, she frowned. She knew Misako was an excellent cook, but her taste buds were not cooperating with her at the moment. She could not taste anything. Putting the soup down, she slid back onto the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.

She drifted off to sleep again, and when she woke up a few hours later, she wasn't alone. Aoshi was with her again, sitting down on the floor next to her tray of food. "You haven't eaten anything," he said.

Kaoru sighed. "Haven't you gotten sick before? Everything tastes awful."

She was surprised when he gently slipped a hand under her back to help her up to a sitting position. "You sound like a child," he chided her. "How do you expect to get well without eating?" He handed the soup to her.

She took it, surprised to find it still hot. "It's still hot," she said.

"No, I had Misako send up a new tray. Don't let me force feed you, Kaoru-san," he added lightly. "I don't want Himura to go after my head because I didn't take care of you while you're here."

Kaoru set the bowl down. "Can you get me a ribbon first, from my box? I want to tie my hair neatly." She ran a hand through her tangled hair, embarrassed that he was seeing her in her sleeping clothes yet unable to do anything about it.

He stood up and took a pink ribbon, handing it to her. "Arigato," she said. She raised an eyebrow. "Your favorite color?"

"It was on top," he answered curtly. "I'm glad to see that your ability to tease me hasn't been incapacitated."

Kaoru laughed, ignoring the pain in her head. She tied her hair back from her face before picking up the bowl of soup again. She took a tentative sip, the soup still tasting bland to her. After a few minutes, she had forced all of the warm liquid down her throat. Admittedly, it made her feel better a little.

Aoshi handed her the rice bowl, and she shook her head. "I'm not hungry," she told him.

The corners of his mouth turned upwards in the slightest of smiles. He held up an envelope before her. "A letter to you, from Tokyo," he said. "If you at least try and eat some rice, I'll give it to you."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Give it to me now," she said.

"Try this first," he said, edging the bowl towards her. "Not negotiable."

Kaoru rolled her eyes, shifting a bit so she could fold her legs more comfortably under her blanket. She took the rice bowl in her hands and took a mouthful. She swallowed, frowning at her hands. "I can't even use my chopsticks that well."

Aoshi nodded. "We're in no hurry," he said. "I went to town this morning and caught this letter just as the train from Tokyo arrived." He placed the letter on the futon beside her.

Kaoru nodded, still eating. "It's a good thing it's the weekend," she said. "I don't have to work till Monday."

"Don't think about work right now," he told her. "It's the weekend, you should rest." He paused for a while before continuing. "The men who attacked you have been imprisoned. They've been sentenced to stay there for two years. I doubt if they'll go after you again. They probably think it was the biggest mistake of their career."

She smiled. "They had me frightened for a while."

"Aa. You handled it well. You weren't even hurt except by that fall in the canal."

"And I got sick because of it."

He chuckled. "It's all right, they won't know it. I know their type. They stakeout those establishments that are open at night and stalk those people who come from those places. They've been doing it for a while now, it's a good thing they were arrested thanks to you. It's quite a story to tell when you get back to Tokyo, although I suppose it's not entirely alien for you to be chasing after evil doers."

He looked at her, a smile still apparent on his face. "I know how you met Himura. When my Oniwabanshu encountered him while we were working for Kanryu, I had him checked out. That's when I discovered the circumstances under which he came to live under your roof." He shook his head in disbelief. "A young woman like you going after Hiruma Gohei… it reminds me of how Misao would handle a similar situation. It's a good thing Himura was there to save you."

"Hai…"

"It was unfortunate for Gohei," Aoshi continued without pausing much. "Much as it was unfortunate for those men who attacked you. Then again, if they had skill, I suppose they won't be that dependent on fortune…"

Kaoru laughed, and he stopped talking. "What?" he asked.

"That's the most I've heard you speak in one instance," she said. "That's quite a mouthful, Aoshi-san."

"Aa," Aoshi said, nodding. "You've had quite a mouthful yourself, didn't you notice?"

Kaoru looked down at her empty rice bowl. _I finished all that while he was talking. He deliberately distracted me so I would forget the blandness…_ She looked up to see the almost inaudible but familiar smirk on his face. "You…" she said almost accusingly.

"Finish it up," he said, handing her the green tea.

She did as she was told. "I'm not surprised," she said, admitting defeat. "You really are a good babysitter."

"That's why you should just do as I say and do away with the protests," he said, taking the empty cup from her. "Now get some more rest while you read that letter. I already pried it open a bit for you while you were eating."

Kaoru picked up the envelope, impressed with him. "Arigato, Aoshi-san," she said.

He nodded before leaving the room with the tray. Left alone, Kaoru fingered the half-opened letter absent-mindedly. She couldn't believe that she had finished her entire lunch without any effort at all.

_Listening to Aoshi talk was enough to erase that bland taste in my mouth,_ she thought with a smile. _That man could talk endlessly if he wanted to, really._ Her smile widened as she remembered how his soft tones washed over her and made her forget that she was ill. No one had really taken care of her that way. Whenever she got sick back in Tokyo, Megumi would always come and use her medical skills to nurse her back to health. It was different this time. _Aoshi isn't a doctor or such, but he was able to make me feel better…_

She bit her lip in deep thought. Well, she didn't really feel better. The nauseous feeling had just been replaced with something else, something that made her stomach feel light and made her breath unsteady. The feeling wasn't at all alien to her. _What is this? What am I thinking?_

Pushing her disturbing thoughts to the back of her mind, she opened the letter and immersed herself in the lives of the friends she had left in Tokyo.

End Chapter.

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Guys, I posted this chapter in a rush coz I feel guilty giving you nothing for a month and more. Anyway, I've been told not to answer my reviewers at the end of my chapter, but I can't help it! You all give nice reviews that really help me along! So I want to write back, hehe. But in this case, I have to do with a general THANK YOU! to everyone coz I'm in a hurry. Major exam coming up so I just want to give this out asap. I hope you enjoy it. I'll answer your reviews next chapter. See ya! 


	11. Late Night Talk

DISCLAIMER: I keep saying this at the start of each chapter. Rurouni Kenshin doesn't belong to me, unfortunately. But this fanfic does. I hope you enjoy it. To those who have been following this story, thanks. Sorry I've been absent for a while. I've been sucked into this horrible world called... school. Haha. On to the story...

* * *

It was already dark outside when Kaoru opened her eyes again. Her limbs still felt heavy, but her headache was gone, leaving behind only a slightly clogged nose and a scratchy throat. Gingerly, she sat up, waiting for the wave of pain that had been plaguing her the entire afternoon. It didn't come, and she smiled.

_At least I feel better. But Kami-sama, this cold is still bothering me. I can't smell anything, but I bet I smell awful. I've been in bed all day._

Making up her mind, she got up and tied her hair in a ponytail again. She supposed she could go to the bathhouse and at least wash her face. Another thing which bothered her about being sick was actually _looking_ sick.

She made her way to the bathhouse. The Aoiya was silent, its many occupants already sleeping in bed. Kaoru checked the time and saw that it was past midnight already. The baths were deserted, as she had expected, and she quickly filled a wash basin with water from a drum and proceeded to wash her face.

Ten minutes later, she was done. She made her way out of the bathhouse, pulling the door close behind her. When she turned back to the main building of the Aoiya, she was greeted by a pleasant surprise. Aoshi was sitting on the back steps.

"Aoshi-san," she called out softly, glad that she had washed her face.

"You didn't take a bath, did you?" he asked as she settled down on the step next to him.

"Iie. I just washed my face. Don't worry, I feel better now, just ignore how bad my voice sounds," she said. "You're still up?"

"I went to your room to check on you and was surprised to find it empty."

"Oh." She dipped her head to hide her smile. "Well, no need to check up on me."

"You feel better, but you should still rest as much as you can," he said.

"I've been resting all day," she said, frowning. "I woke up in the middle of the night feeling wide awake with nothing else to do."

He smiled at this, and shifted away from her slightly. Kaoru started to move away, thinking that he felt uncomfortable with how close she was sitting next to him. She was surprised when he lifted his arm to place it behind her, as a sort of prop against which she could lean her back on. In the darkness, she could feel herself blushing. It was the closest thing she knew to having a man drape his arm around her shoulders.

"How was the letter from Tokyo?" he asked.

She brightened up. "Full of good news," she said. "Not much news about the dojo, but Kenshin and Yahiko had a lot of other stories to tell. One of them pertained to Sano trying to ask Megumi out but being turned down even before he got the entire question out. Poor guy. Megumi likes him enough, but she could be such a fox sometimes. She likes teasing him, probably because he lets her get away with it."

"I'm sure Sano will recover from the let down."

"I'm sure too," she agreed. "Anyway, he's doing better than Yahiko. That spunky apprentice of mine can't ask Tsubame out. He gets tongue-tied whenever he's in front of her." She laughed, then sighed. "At that rate, he won't be getting anywhere any time soon. Maybe I should have a talk with him when I get back… no, maybe it would be better if Kenshin would be the one to talk to him…" Her voice trailed off.

"You miss them."

"I do, everyday," she said.

"You know you can go back to Tokyo any time. Misao will be fine with us. You've already helped her so much, and me as well," he said.

"You think so?" Kaoru asked.

"Yes," he said after a while. "I can't say if Misao is rid of her problems already. Chances are, she isn't yet. But you've helped her move along, and you've also helped me see that I can help her move along as well."

Kaoru was surprised. "You think so?" she asked again. "I feel as if I have done nothing here except talk to her a few times. Sometimes I feel guilty leaving her here while I work at the Shirobeko."

"The fact that you are here helped a lot. It helped me break the ice with Misao. You gave me an opportunity to be friends with her while being friends with you. I don't have to be afraid of her thinking otherwise, not if she sees that I treat you and her the same way."

Kaoru digested this, biting on her lower lip. "That's good, then," she said. "Maybe we'll have more fun when she gets back. I miss her too, you know. The Aoiya's awfully quiet. Tell me, has she always been spirited, even when she was a kid?"

"Aa. I had a hard time keeping up with her," he said. He looked at her, his eyes bright in the moonlight. "Let me tell you about it over a late night dinner. I know you slept through dinner earlier. Okina had some food left in the kitchen for you."

Kaoru grabbed her stomach. "That's true, I'm suddenly hungry," she said. She got to her feet with his help, and the two of them made their way to the kitchen. She watched, fascinated, as Aoshi proceeded to prepare her dinner for her. She smiled at him as he slid a rice bowl in front of her. "Arigato. Aren't you going to have anything?"

"I already ate," he said.

Kaoru mixed the rice gently with the slices of pork. "All right, you tell me a story then, since you aren't eating." She waved her chopsticks at him playfully. "And don't deny that you don't like to talk, because you said a lot earlier today, I'm not that sick to forget about that."

His blue eyes narrowed in barely suppressed mirth at the memory. "I'm not really one to tell stories," he confessed. "Why don't you ask me anything, and I'll take it from there."

Kaoru's eyes widened at the prospect of asking Aoshi anything, and by the look on his face, he probably realized that having her ask _anything_ wasn't such a good idea. She giggled. "I'll be good, I promise," she assured him. "I won't ask anything embarrassing or incriminating."

"I told you to ask anything," he said, standing by his words.

"Can I ask you about you and Misao again?"

He nodded, and she continued. "You told me before that you tried to give her a chance, that you tried to like her back the way she liked---loved you. When was this?"

"After I met Himura and gone back to the Aoiya. Misao was very attentive, always bringing me my tea when I was at the temple, meditating. It didn't work, though. Each time I look at her, I see a child whom I love very much, not a woman whom I'd like to marry." He paused. "Besides, Misao is too raucous for me."

Kaoru nodded. "I think, deep down, Misao still sees you as her guardian and so the child comes out in her when she's with you."

"Perhaps," he agreed. "Next question?"

She grinned. "You're not getting off the hook that easily. Have you ever liked a girl before?"

He appeared to think hard about it. "I was too busy with the Oniwabanshu for anything else. But I did admire someone once, because she was beautiful."

Kaoru nearly choked on her food. "What? Who?"

"Another ninja, a member of the Oniwabanshu," he told her. "Her name was Mikuru."

"What happened, then?"

He shrugged. "She was killed. She tried to infiltrate an underground cult. Everything went well for a few years until she was discovered and was hanged."

"That's awful," Kaoru murmured.

"It's something that we all accepted when we adopted this kind of life," he said matter-of-factly. "Sometimes, we just have to accept things. Mikuru knew that. So do you. You accepted a lot of things when you befriended Himura, didn't you?"

Kaoru set down her empty rice bowl, unconscious that she had eaten it so fast. "I suppose," she said thoughtfully. "I accepted his past. I also accepted that fact that having him at the dojo might put is in some degree of danger. But that's all right."

Aoshi leaned forward, his arms folded on the table before him. "I still envy Himura," he said. "Not because he is stronger than me, but because of the way he lives. He is happy to be where he is."

"The first step to becoming happy is to have the desire to be happy," Kaoru said. "If you keep on thinking that you don't deserve happiness because of all the guilt you still have, then you really won't find happiness. Don't hold back on yourself, Aoshi. I know you're a good person, better than most other people I know. I hate seeing you still unable to let go of the things you have done in the past."

He looked at his hands on the table. "I'm trying. That's why I go to the temple so often."

"I know," she said, looking at him kindly. It saddened her to know that the man sitting in front of her still thought so much about his past. "You can share it with me, if meditation alone doesn't help."

His eyes met hers, and she was transfixed by his steady gaze. "Thank you, Kaoru-san," he said simply. "You're very perceptive. I thought that I could fool everybody into thinking that I have settled into my peaceful life already, without thinking of my past."

"You've already settled down," Kaoru said. "But every time you think about your past, you still cannot forgive yourself. You should."

He locked eyes with her for a few more seconds before standing up. "And you should get back to bed," he said, changing the subject so abruptly that Kaoru blinked.

"I'm sorry, was I too…"

"Not at all," he said, coming around the table to help her stand up. He looked down at her openly, and Kaoru found warmth in his normally cool eyes. "I just don't want to burden you with my dark thoughts right now. I'll share them with you when you are in a much healthier state."

"But I am already well," Kaoru said as she allowed him to steer her to her bedroom.

"Do you know that your mere presence is already a balm to my emotions?" he asked her as they stopped right outside her room. "You don't even have to say anything."

Kaoru looked up at him, unsure of what to say. He looked so good to her that she wanted nothing more than to step up against him and feel his arms around her. The rational part of her mind told her that she had no right to do that, so she settled for something less intimate. She brought up her hand to rest against his cheek, hoping that it would convey the feelings that she could not put into words. That she _wanted_ to be a balm to his emotions. That he made her feel good just as she made him feel good.

He held her hand to his cheek with his own, turning his head ever so slightly into her touch. Even in the darkness, Kaoru caught the fleeting look of contentment in his eyes before he brought up his other arm to slide her door open for her.

"Good night, Kaoru. Sleep well tonight," he said gently as he released her hand.

She nodded, still speechless. She stepped back and managed a soft good night before sliding her door shut. She made her way to her futon, absent-mindedly changing back to her bedclothes.

She lay down to sleep, her thoughts full of Aoshi and the brief moment of intimacy they had shared before ending the night. She liked him, loved him, even. She couldn't tell how it happened, but she knew that it wasn't irrational. Looking forward to seeing him the next day, she allowed herself to drift off to sleep, her head pillowed on the hand that had caressed his strong jaw only minutes before.

End of Chapter.

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By the way, thanks to those who reviewed! Your comments are encouraging, and they really help me along. 


	12. Gnawing Doubts

Everyone, i'm so sorry this next chapter took so long. Anyway, this one's short but I have another chapter to upload in the next few days. Enjoy! I hope you're still reading this fic.

* * *

The sun was already high in the sky when Kaoru opened her eyes. She sat up from her futon, appreciating the lightness in her head and the absence of the headache and the nausea. _I guess I was just especially tired yesterday. Aoshi is an excellent babysitter._ At the thought of Aoshi, her breath caught in her throat. She remembered the brief, very brief, moment of closeness they had last night, and she immediately stood up to change into a fresh kimono.

She was anticipating seeing him at the breakfast table. She wondered how he would receive her, how he would talk to her, for even he couldn't deny that there was something going on between them. _Is there? _Kaoru asked herself for the fifth time since last night. _Or am I just imagining things because I can be so silly sometimes._

She came to a stop when she found Okina in the kitchen. "Kaoru-san! I'm glad to see that you are well," the old man said. "Come and have breakfast. You didn't have much appetite while you were ill."

Kaoru came forward to sit opposite her host, distinctly remembering that she had actually wolfed down the meals Aoshi had brought to her the previous day. She managed a wan smile. "Eh, Okina-san, arigato." She took a bowl of soup and brought it to her lips, taking a sip. "The Aoiya seems even more quiet today," she said.

"Oh, Aoshi," Okina said with a sigh. "He was up very early this morning saying he had something to do. He left even before the sun was up, carrying a change of clothes with him."

"Is it another case?" she asked.

"He doesn't really tell us anything," Okina said. "I presume it's another case, though I didn't notice any messenger coming last night. He looked quite serious this morning."

"I see," Kaoru murmured, taking another sip of her soup. _He left so suddenly. Did I scare him off? Was I too forward last night? _She couldn't help it. She was never really known for her subtlety, except for some rare instances. She had assumed that she could be at least a little open with Aoshi last night. _Was he offended?_ A certain heaviness formed in her chest, and her mind played back the events of last night.

"Kaoru-san, are you all right?" Okina asked, concerned.

Kaoru looked up and blinked, realizing that she had been holding an empty bowl to her lips for the past minute. "Eh, Okina-san, I was just thinking," she said, forcing a bright smile and succeeding. "I should just spend the day resting. I was thinking of going into town, but it's a bit far for someone who has just recovered from a short illness."

"A wise idea," Okina said, rising. "I hope you won't be too lonely today. I'll be going to town to replenish the Aoiya's stock."

"Do you need help?"

Okina shook his head firmly. "Like you said, you should just spend the day resting. Believe me, you'll feel much better tomorrow."

Kaoru stood up with him. "Take care, Okina-san."

With Okina gone, Kaoru was left alone to herself and her thoughts on Aoshi. Her earlier feelings of doubt were slowly being replaced by a slight nagging feeling of irritation. _Geez, if he has a problem, why can't he just say it? Why does he always have to go away and deal with it by himself?_ She marched to her room, sliding the door firmly behind her. Having nothing else to do, she got out a piece of paper and proceeded to answer the latest letter she had received from Tokyo. However, she had barely gotten the first two sentences when she found her mind wandering. After staring at the almost blank paper before her, she gave up and put it away.

_This isn't healthy, Kaoru! _she told herself sternly. _At least do something useful so you don't end up with a long face._

She went downstairs once more, and was relieved to see Misako in the kitchen. "Ohayo," she said brightly.

The older woman looked up with a warm smile. "Kaoru-san. I thought the entire Aoiya was empty of its regular occupants. You got left all alone?"

Kaoru sat down on the table and reached for a towel to help Misako wipe the bowls on the table. "Hai," she said as she examined a chipped bowl. "I thought I should stay home and rest today since I had a pretty busy week last week."

"Yes, you should rest," Misako said. "But then I suppose you're craving for some company so you came down here."

"Hai," Kaoru admitted.

"I thought Shinomori-san would be here," Misako said. She raised an eyebrow at Kaoru. "He seems to have taken quite a liking to you."

Kaoru nearly dropped the bowl she was holding. "Eh? What makes you say that?" she stammered, embarrassed yet curious enough not to brush off the remark.

Misako shrugged. "He spends time with you."

"Oh." Kaoru bit her lip, the uneasiness regarding Aoshi's sudden departure returning to haunt her. "I think it's because we understand each other a lot, Misako-san. I knew Aoshi-san before he came back to the Aoiya. I think it helps him to talk some things over with me." She managed a smile. "I keep telling him to talk to others more, though."

"Hai, and I'm surprised that he somewhat followed your advice. He talked to me a little bit yesterday," Misako said, laughing. "I must confess, my daughter likes him. But don't tell Maru is said that."

"Hm. A lot of girls do find him attractive," Kaoru said neutrally.

"But Misao was the one who was most attracted to him, I must say," Misako said, shaking her head. "It was a blessing, your coming here."

"So they say," Kaoru murmured, putting another bowl aside. "I might have to go back to Tokyo soon, though. It's nice being here, but I'm worried about those three men I left behind. I hope I've still got a dojo to come back to," she added lightly.

Misako smiled. "I'm sure you do. Misao will be sad to see you go."

"I hope she won't be too sad," Kaoru said. "I don't want her to be dependent on me."

"I've known Misao since she was little," Misako said. "It's not in her personality to be dependent on anyone. Her infatuation with Shinomori-san just addled her senses, any teenage girl can go through a similar situation."

Kaoru finished her task and frowned at Misako. "Do you think she will be okay when I leave?"

"Are you waiting for the right time to leave?"

Kaoru thought about it. "Hai. I'm afraid of staying too long here. It…changes a lot of things for everyone." Misako raised her eyebrows at this but Kaoru just shrugged, not wanting to explain further. She flashed the older woman a smile. "Thank you for the company, Misako-san. I think I'll go finish that letter to Tokyo I started earlier this morning."

"Thank you for helping me, Kaoru-san," Misako said as Kaoru gave her a polite bow before leaving her.

Upstairs, alone again, Kaoru reflected on the last words she had said earlier. It was true. She was enjoying herself at the Aoiya, but at the same time she was starting to be frightened that she was having too much of a good time with Aoshi. _Why did he leave so suddenly? _she asked herself for the hundredth time. _And am I upset because he left so suddenly, or am I afraid because he might not feel…_ She stopped her thought there. She had always thought of herself as a strong woman, but she couldn't imagine how she would feel if Aoshi turned away from her love just as Kenshin had. She wanted to love him so much, of that she was certain.

Looking out the window, she hoped to see Aoshi's familiar tall frame walking towards the Aoiya, but she knew it was futile. _Why can't you let anyone love you? Why can't you let me? You deserve it, contrary to what you might think. Everyone deserves a chance for happiness. Sometimes you can be so much like Kenshin. I wonder how long it will take you to realize that you don't really need to pay for all those things you've done in the past…_

Lifting her eyes to the clear sky above, she sent a silent wish to the heavens, praying that Aoshi, Misao, and everyone else she cared about, would find their own happiness.

End chapter. Next one coming soon.


	13. Admission

Disclaimer: (I say this all the time.) Rurouni Kenshin isn't mine, and will never be mine. All I have is this little fanfic which I'm hoping to finish soon.

To everyone who has been following this fic, sorry for the long updates. I'm warning you that the next update might really take a while. I'm starting my internship this month and I'll be away in the hospital 100+ hours a week... but I'll still continue this, when I have the time. I'll find time.

So... on to the next chapter!

* * *

Kaoru stood before a skeptical-looking Okina, who was sizing her up. "Kaoru-san, are you sure you're ready to go back to work?" he asked her, doubt lining every inch of his question.

Kaoru mentally rolled her eyes. "Of course, Okina-san! It's been two days since I got sick. Waiting on tables is not so hard. Besides, Sae-san really needs help. Her restaurant is always full!"

Okina sighed, knowing that Kaoru was as stubborn as Misao. "Fine. Try not to stay out too late, though."

"You sound like a father," Kaoru said, giggling. "I only work overtime on Fridays. See you later, Okina-san. Ja ne!" She tossed him a wave over her shoulder as she walked through the gate of the Aoiya. It was hard to keep up a high spirit in front of Okina, especially when she was bursting with desire to ask him if he had any news on Aoshi. She was still too shy to ask him outright.

Aoshi had not returned to the Aoiya yet, and Kaoru was getting worried. It was the same gnawing feeling she got whenever Kenshin was away chasing after villains. What made it worse, though, was that she didn't exactly know why Aoshi had left. She tried not to think about it, reassuring herself that he had been called away on another case and did not have any time to tell any of them. However, in the back of her mind, she couldn't help thinking if it was still because of her.

"This is healthy, Kaoru, drive yourself crazy with your thoughts and you'll be as depressed as Misao-chan was, that is true," she muttered, belatedly noticing the weird look cast her way by one of the passersby. "See, that woman already thinks your crazy. Stop talking to yourself."

She pressed her lips tightly together to suppress a rueful smile, her innate cheerfulness breaking through her worries. She reached the Shirobeko in no time, and Sae welcomed her with open arms.

"Kaoru-san! Are you ready for another week? Thank goodness you're here, Mei came down with a fever last night and couldn't come today so we're one hand short."

"Not to worry, Sae-san," Kaoru said calmly. She was glad she had asked Aoshi not to tell anyone she had been attacked and gotten sick. The restaurant owner was already in a mild panic attack and it was only eight in the morning.

Kaoru donned her apron and fixed her hat into place. She remembered to wash her hands before handling the food, for Sae was adamant about keeping her restaurant clean. She proceeded to the dining area to wait on the customers, and waved to a couple of familiar faces, some of the Shirobeko's loyal regulars.

By the time lunch rolled around, Kaoru's feet felt a little sore from standing too long, and she was relieved to sit in the kitchen for a quick free lunch with one of her coworkers, Emi, who was ranting about the long hours they had to work.

"It is long," Kaoru agreed. "But Sae-san is a good boss, don't you think so?"

"Hai, she is," Emi conceded. "Besides, it's good pay. I just wish that we're not so shorthanded as today. My feet hurt already."

"Try putting them up for a while," Kaoru said, indicating a low bench at a corner in the kitchen. "It will surely help."

As Emi followed her advice and went to the corner, Kaoru finished her lunch. She was thankful that she wasn't sick anymore, for Sae would have even less hands working for her that day if she hadn't gotten well. After cleaning up her place, Kaoru waved to Emi, gesturing that she was returning to work. Emi waved at her while massaging her foot with her other hand.

As soon as the clock struck five that afternoon, Kaoru went to the wash area to clean herself up. "I'll be back on Wednesday, Sae-san, unless you need me tomorrow?" Kaoru asked the young woman.

"We're fine, Kaoru-san, you can just come back on Wednesday," Sae answered brightly. "Thanks for stepping up a bit today."

"Your welcome," Kaoru said.

"Here's another basket of treats for you and the others at the Aoiya," Sae said, handing her another basket.

"Sae-san, you're spoiling us!" Kaoru said, laughing. "Okina-san will be glad. See you!"

Sae waved before returning to her cooking. Kaoru stepped out of the Shirobeko and was greeted with a very pleasant and unexpected surprise. "Aoshi-san?" she asked uncertainly.

The tall man was standing outside the Shirobeko, leaning against its wall with his arms crossed, his cool eyes surveying the passersby. He looked at Kaoru, and gave the smallest of smiles. "Kaoru-san, I thought we could walk home together."

_Walk home together… _Kaoru repeated in her thoughts, unable to reply as Aoshi stepped towards her to take the basket from her hand. "Oh… that sounds good," she stammered, feeling a slight tingle ascend her spine as his hand brushed hers briefly. "You're back from your case?"

Aoshi wore a bemused expression on his face. "Well, yes, obviously," he said.

"You're making fun of me after suddenly leaving Sunday morning without saying anything?" Kaoru asked, irritation creeping into her voice. She tried to keep it down, belatedly realizing that it was irrational of her to expect him to say goodbye to her. _Hold it, Kaoru, you aren't his wife._ "Forget I said that," she added lamely. "Of course you had to leave early."

"Yes, I'm sorry about that," Aoshi said, steering her expertly through the late afternoon crowd with a light touch on her elbow.

"That's all right," she muttered, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and wishing that she had spent more time fixing her hair before leaving the Shirobeko that afternoon. "I was just--- well, I really wondered what had happened to you. Okina told me these things sometimes happen."

"Were you bored yesterday, then, without me there to babysit you?" he asked her lightly.

"A little bit," Kaoru answered, glad that the nervousness that erupted in her stomach upon seeing him was dissipating already. She laughed. "Misako was the unfortunate one who babysat me yesterday."

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call that unfortunate," he said neutrally, causing her to look at him. "I just got back from my trip and I'm a little thirsty." He gestured towards a different teahouse. "Join me for tea?"

They stopped walking, and Kaoru looked down at her Shirobeko uniform, sighing. "I… eh…"

He clamped a hand firmly onto her arm and pulled her lightly towards the teahouse. "You look fine, Kaoru-san. Honestly, what Misao lacks in concern for her self-appearance, you make up for in such abundance."

Kaoru wrenched her arm free of his grasp to land a hit on his arm. "What's that supposed to mean!" she said as she followed him into the teahouse.

He didn't answer her, hiding his eyes under his hair while he scanned the restaurant's offerings. Finally, he gave an order to the girl waiting upon them, ordering for Kaoru as well. "I ordered for you," he told her unnecessarily as the girl walked away. "Consider it a start of your education about tea."

"I'm so excited," Kaoru said sarcastically. Then she changed her tone. "So what was your most recent case? Can you tell me about it?"

He gazed out the window for a moment before meeting her eyes, and she once again admired the bluish gray hue that reminded her so much of a stormy sky. "Nothing interesting," he said after a while. "To tell you the truth, Kaoru-san, my work isn't really worth any tales."

Kaoru sat back, a little disappointed. "I suppose that's how you would feel, after everything else you've done before," she admitted. "But I like listening to you talk. You have a way of making things sound a bit more interesting. Even if you're talking about tea."

Aoshi chuckled and shook his head slightly. "Are you always going to tease me about my drinking habit?"

"Most probably," Kaoru said, nodding. "But it's not such a bad habit," she said, thinking about Sano's gambling. "I mean, you might even get me to like it after a while," she said as their order came and she smelled the aroma of the tea.

"Aa, that's what I intend to do," he said, lifting his cup to take a sip.

Kaoru drank her tea, too, watching him out over the rim of her cup. She couldn't help teasing him, it had become as natural to her as bullying Sano and Kenshin back in Tokyo. She set her cup down, half empty, and watched as darkness started to fall outside. The warm lights and the gentle chatter inside the teahouse made her forget her sore feet and warmed her insides.

When she returned her eyes to Aoshi, she caught him studying her face. She raised her eyebrows. "What?" she asked him.

"You look tired," he said.

"What, I stop talking for only a minute and you already think there's something wrong," she joked. "I'm fine." She finished her tea.

"Let's go back to the Aoiya then," he said, finishing his tea as well. "Okina might worry about you."

"Oh, he knows I'm a big girl," Kaoru said as she followed him outside.

They joined the early evening crowd now, walking to their homes after a day in the heart of the city. She had her hand tucked comfortably into Aoshi's offered arm. She liked it that way, for it made her feel like a grown-up. Perhaps it was because she practically lived with three men for the past year that she relished the chance of being treated like a lady instead of being one of the boys.

They had been walking for several minutes already, and Kaoru marveled at how her feet didn't hurt at all now that she was walking with Aoshi. _My, that does say a lot, Kaoru-san! _she thought to herself with a slight smile. _That he could make you feel better after working the whole day on your feet, and he doesn't even have to say anything at all…_ Kaoru suddenly halted, causing Aoshi to almost turn in a circle for her hand was still on his arm.

"Kaoru-san?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in a rare show of surprise.

"Aoshi!" Kaoru said, reaching over to grab his other hand, which was free. "Aoshi! We completely forgot Sae's basket!"

It took a moment for her words to register. "That basket…" Aoshi murmured, turning his head to look back the way they had come. "I'm sorry. I'll go back for it."

"Wait---I'll come with you," Kaoru said.

They hurriedly walked back to the teahouse, and Aoshi went to look inside as Kaoru waited outside. She was embarrassed enough to have forgotten the basket. She looked up sheepishly as Aoshi came out.

"It's no longer there," he told her. "I asked the owner about it, he said some people came in after we left."

Kaoru blew her hair out of her eyes with a frustrated sigh. "Mou! Someone got lucky and took home a basket of sweets!" She eyed him, narrowing her gaze. "It's all your fault."

"I'm very sorry," he said.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "I was joking," she said, frustration still evident in her voice though her lips now betrayed the hint of a smile. "It wasn't your fault, of course. It was my fault."

"I was the one who was holding onto the basket."

"Yes, and I was the one who so captivated your attention that I made you forget about it," she said lightly, before erupting into a laugh.

He merely raised his eyebrow at her joke. Kaoru held up her hands. "I was joking again, of course," she said.

"I couldn't tell if you were," he said, an amused edge on his voice.

"Oh, come on," she scoffed. "It doesn't matter anyway, Aoshi-san. I'll just get Sae-san a new basket to replace her old one."

"I'll come with you."

"You don't have to," she said, not wanting to bother him any more than necessary yet desperately wishing that he would really come with her. _I feel pathetic about this._

He looked at her closely, his eyes clouded with an unreadable emotion. "You'd rather not have me go with you?" he asked her

"Er…" She was trapped. She locked gazes with him, thinking that he was too sneaky to have put her in this position. _He's just asking me if I want him to come along. He's not asking me to admit that I like him. Wait, I like him?_

He broke eye contact with her, touching her elbow again to indicate that they should resume their walk home. "I just don't want to bother you," she said, answering his question. "If you want to come with me, then you may. In fact," she added, feeling a little braver now that he wasn't looking at her directly, "I'd like it very much if you would."

He looked down at her, allowing her to see the undisguised merriment in his eyes. "I'll go with you tomorrow, then. I want to."

She looked up at him and grinned, hooking her hand through his arm. "Good. After all, we're in this whole basket thing together, aren't we?"

"Aa," he agreed, nodding his head slightly.

She continued smiling as she looked ahead. She could feel the warmth of his arm through the sleeve of his coat, and she let herself indulge quietly in the pleasure his company brought her. A feeling of tenderness wrapped around her heart, making her sigh quietly in contentment. She answered her own question. _Do I like him? No, I don't. I love him…very much. _And this admission, unknown to Aoshi, erased the previous apprehensions she had about the man. Everything about Aoshi became simple. _I love him._

_End Chapter._

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!


	14. Confession

Standard disclaimers apply. Rurouni Kenshin is not mine. This story is written purely for pleasure (mine, and those who would be pleased by it).

To those waiting for an update...sorry it took this long. Like I said in my previous chapter, I would be starting my internship and living in the hospital for the entire year. Just managed to make enough time for this chapter.

* * *

Kaoru took special care in dressing herself up the next day. It wasn't because she felt the need to attract Aoshi. It was simply because, if she was going to be seen with him, then she wanted people to see someone nice looking, at least, if not beautiful. She put her brush down after pulling her hair into a tidy ponytail. When she had gotten home last night, Aoshi had wished her good night again in that soft voice of his that washed over her like warm water. She had spent most of the night thinking of him.

She had been hurt before, when she had fallen in love with Kenshin and he hadn't returned her feelings. Perhaps she really was unlucky, falling for men who seemed to have romance completely out of their minds. However, she knew herself. She couldn't force herself to stop loving someone without giving it some time to run its course for a while.

_I am free to love anyone I wish,_ she thought, sliding the door of her room open and heading down to the kitchen, where she had the feeling Aoshi would be waiting for her. _I just won't expect him to feel the same way about me, like I did with Kenshin._

She encountered the object of her thoughts in the kitchen, and he looked up to greet her as she entered. "Ohayo, Kaoru-san. I hope you slept well."

The morning sun glinted off his blue-gray eyes, and the slight smile he offered with his greeting tugged at her heart. Her earlier resolution on not wanting him to love her back almost dissolved as she wished that he would greet her with more than just words and a smile. She returned his smile weakly. "Ohayo."

He noticed the lack of cheer in her, and raised his eyebrows. "You did not sleep well?"

She laughed, and shook her head, recovering from the initial impact of seeing him looking so good. "Iie. Just hungry, I guess."

He wasted no time in handing her a bowl of rice mixed with breaded meat. "Would you like water or tea with that?"

"Water, please. I've had enough of tea yesterday," she said, still smiling as she sat down in front of the table. "Have you eaten?"

"Aa," he said, settling down in front of her.

She started to eat, then pause. "I wish you'd eat something with me," she said. "I feel awful eating while you're just sitting there."

He poured himself a cup of tea and lifted it to his lips, letting the vapor warm his face. "I always get up so early," he said. "Habit, I suppose."

"Mm," Kaoru said, starting on her rice bowl. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, each one attending to his and her own thoughts. Kaoru, in particular, was thinking about the basket she planned on buying. It helped her avoid thinking about how much she wanted to stare at Aoshi.

Finally, she set down her bowl. "I'm done," she announced. "Are you ready to go get that basket now?" she asked.

He nodded, rising to his feet. He stopped by the door as he waited for her to pick an umbrella that would match her outfit, like she did every day. Kaoru finally decided on an orange umbrella that complimented her yellow kimono nicely. Aoshi held out his arm and Kaoru hooked her hand around it. It had become habit for them to walk that way for the past few days.

"I wonder how much a basket would cost these days," she murmured. "I haven't bought one in months."

"You don't have to worry about it Kaoru-san, I will pay for it," he said.

She shook her head vehemently. "Aoshi-san, I will pay for it. Don't argue with me on that one."

"Aa, arguing with you is futile," he admitted. "Perhaps we could just reach a settlement. You pay for the basket and then I'll pay for our lunch later on."

_Another date? _Kaoru thought. _Why not?_ She decided to indulge herself with whatever Aoshi was planning. "All right, that will do," she said. "What do you have planned on doing today besides going after that basket?"

"Nothing in particular," Aoshi said. "I have to pick up some more paperwork at the police station on the way back to the Aoiya later. Other than that, I have nothing else to do."

Kaoru thought about it, wondering how they could pass the afternoon. She wasn't in the mood to look for souvenirs yet, since she knew Aoshi would be bored by that even if he wouldn't admit it. She wanted to do something nice for him without being too obvious about it. "Is there a place here where we can just sit and pass the time?"

Aoshi thought for a moment. "We can go to the pier. A lot of boats come in every day. We might see some foreigners, too."

"I'd like to see that," she said. "Later."

He nodded in approval. By this time, they had reached the marketplace, and a lot of baskets were on display. Kaoru looked at them, not knowing how to start picking one. Finally, she reached out and plucked a display, testing its weight. "This looks like a good size," she said. "It's almost like the one we lost. Does this look all right with you, Aoshi-san?"

He considered it for a moment. "It looks like an adequate replacement."

Kaoru suppressed a smile. "Trust you to make such a formal statement about a basket," she teased him.

He raised an eyebrow. "And trust you to point it out, Kaoru-san. Do you want me to sound like Sagara? To revise my statement…yes, that basket looks all right."

Kaoru wagged a finger at him. "No, you haven't got that slang part quite well yet," she said merrily. She fished into her coin purse and paid for the basket. "With that done, I guess I should take this over to Sae-san before we lose it again…"

"The Shirobeko is this way," Aoshi said, once again guiding her by the elbow. He wove through the crowded streets expertly, as usual, and stopped in front of the Shirobeko. He indicated with a slight shake of his head that he did not wish to go inside.

Kaoru nodded, knowing that in spite of all the changes she had seen in Aoshi, he was still a man who desired minimal contact with strangers and acquaintances. With an understanding smile, she went ahead inside the Shirobeko. Finding Sae busy in the kitchen, Kaoru left the basket with Emi with a hurried explanation on why she was giving Sae a brand new basket.

Emi laughed. "You didn't have to, I'm sure Sae would just brush it off," she said.

"I hate being in debt," Kaoru said. She waved at Emi. "I'll see you tomorrow, when I go back to work, then."

She rushed back outside, where Aoshi was waiting for her. "Where else do you want to go?" he asked. "It's too early to have lunch still."

"Yes, we should keep ourselves from behaving like ravenous dogs," she agreed. She looked up at him hopefully. "Do you think we could drop by the post office and see if I have another letter from Tokyo? I'm sure they write me daily…"

"You miss them a lot," he observed as they changed direction and headed for the post office.

"I haven't been away from them for this long," she admitted.

He looked away, and she looked up questioningly, not knowing what it was she had said that affected him. She decided to venture a little on her hunch. "I'm sorry. It doesn't mean that I don't appreciate your company. You have been a good host, and your company is just as pleasant, but…"

"But it's not enough," he finished, looking back at her.

"It's different," she said. "Not necessarily less, but different. Of course I miss Tokyo. I'm sorry."

They reached the post office, where Kaoru found two letters waiting for her. One of them was from Megumi, and the other one, from Yahiko. She tucked them both into the sleeve of her kimono. She hesitated taking Aoshi's arm, not knowing if he was still offended.

She was surprised when Aoshi took her hand with his right hand and placed it on his left. "Don't be sorry about being honest, Kaoru-san," he said gently. "I will miss Kyoto, too, if I stayed away for too long. Let's go have that lunch, now."

"Oh, I can't possibly allow you to pay for my lunch after I've offended you."

"Who said I was offended?" he asked rhetorically.

They entered a restaurant of Aoshi's choice. Kaoru was thankful she had taken extra effort to look nice, for Aoshi had picked out a restaurant of a higher class than the Shirobeko and the one they had eaten at the other day. The restaurant had some foreigner for patrons, and Kaoru realized that they were near the pier. She sat down on the chair Aoshi had pulled out for her, and he came around the table to sit across from her.

"This is classy," she observed. "Do you come here often?"

"Only when I have lunch with the chief of police," he replied. "It's a rarity, though. I know their specialty is nice. It's sea-food based, I believe. Shall I order for you?"

She nodded, gazing at the complicated menu and trusting Aoshi to know her preferences. "I'll have your choice of tea, too," she said.

Aoshi gave the serving girl their orders, and they were once again left alone. "Have you had encounters with foreigners, Aoshi-san?" she asked out of curiosity.

He thought for a moment before answering her. "Aa, a few times. Most of them are cases about theft of shipments for trading. They are an odd mixture of personalities. Some are nice, though I haven't been impressed much."

"I see. It would take a lot to impress you, I bet," she said speculatively.

He looked at her with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Well… I think a cup of rich tea would impress you," she said.

"Perhaps," he agreed. "What else?"

"What else? Misao leading the Oniwabanshu."

"Yes, that would impress me. If she does it excellently. What else?"

"Ah," Kaoru said, clapping her hands once. "Me throwing kunai with perfect aim."

He paused at this, as if he was thinking about something. Kaoru felt a little indignant. "What, that wouldn't impress you?" she prodded him.

"You throwing kunai with perfect aim?" he repeated. Then his voice softened. "You alone, Kaoru-san, are enough to impress me."

Kaoru's eyes widened, but before she could react further, their orders came, and the moment slipped away. As Aoshi started eating his lunch, he made no further comment, forcing Kaoru to let go of his last statement. _What did he mean by that? _she thought, flustered. _Aoshi, you're making me feel hopeful, and yet, do I have anything to hope for? Is this how you make Misao-chan feel? No, because you never talked to Misao this way. But why are you like this with me? Please be kind to me._

"Ah, Kaoru-san. I seem to have left you speechless," Aoshi said halfway through their meal. "I only meant that you are an impressive person. Like Himura. Like Saitoh."

Kaoru let out the breath she was holding. "Somehow, I don't like being compared to those men," she said, feeling the butterflies in her stomach settling down.

"But you are also different," Aoshi said. Then he shook his head. "Forgive me, I find it hard to explain myself sometimes. You are special, you see."

"Special? No, I don't see," Kaoru said, confused.

Aoshi gave an unexpected sigh as he finished his lunch. "Don't worry about it. I have the rest of the day to tell you."

They left the restaurant and spent the rest of the afternoon at the pier, sitting by the docks and watching the ships pass by. However, Aoshi made no further move to explain what he meant with his earlier statements, and Kaoru did not feel the need to push him. By this time, she had realized that Aoshi shared his thoughts at his own pace. Anyway, when she was able to disregard her own thoughts about their previous conversation, she was able to enjoy his company once again. She marveled at how much he knew about ships, but she had to remind herself that his job required him to be educated about a lot of things.

As the afternoon faded into evening, they decided to start the long walk home. Aoshi stopped by the police station on the way and emerged with an envelope tucked under his arm. "Another assignment," he said as they continued on their way.

"I see," Kaoru said. She considered it for a moment before she gave way to a nagging thought. "I'm about to be done with mine."

"Your assignment? Misao?" Aoshi asked.

"Hai," Kaoru said. "She looked fine when we went to see her in the mountains. When she comes back tomorrow, I'm going to see how she is. If she's all right, I might go back to Tokyo this Friday. It's the end of my contract with the Shirobeko, too. And Yahiko's birthday is coming up next week, and I want to be home by then. My one month is up," she finished with a little regret.

"Aa," Aoshi said. "You've been here for a month already. I'm sure your Tokyo friends miss you already. And more than missing you, I'm sure they need you back, too."

"Yes, I'm sure they need me back, too," Kaoru agreed, wishing at the same time that she did not have to leave Kyoto so soon.

"Yes, you have a way of being…" His voice trailed off.

"Being what?" Kaoru asked him, hardly aware that they have stopped walking.

He shook his head slightly, and Kaoru was about to let it go when her gut feeling told her to extract it from him. "What is it, Aoshi? You can tell me anything."

He gave an almost imperceptible sigh. "You have been here only for a month, Kaoru-san, but in that short time, you have woven yourself intricately into my life so much that I… cannot imagine a day without you in it."

Kaoru sucked in her breath sharply as her knees started to feel weak. "Oh," was all she could say. "Oh…"

Aoshi looked around before discreetly pulling her off the path and behind a tree so that they were away from the eyes of the passersby. "To put it more simply, Kaoru---if I may call you that---I don't want you to leave Kyoto," he murmured, letting go of the envelope that he was holding so he could hold both of her trembling hands.

Kaoru couldn't reply at this, but she locked eyes with him and hoped that he could see the relief and the joy that was flooding her entire body. Feebly, she gave his hands a squeeze.

Encouraged by this, Aoshi closed the distance between them to envelope her in a gentle embrace. "If you want it put the simplest way," he whispered in her ear, "I want to be with you."

At this, Kaoru managed to get over her frozen state and she wrapped her arms around Aoshi's neck. "Oh, Aoshi," she said, her voice unsteady. "I'm so happy to hear that. To tell you the truth, I don't want to leave too, but I have to, because the others… But I don't want to leave you…"

Laughing gently, he placed a finger on her lips to silence her before brushing his lips against hers in a fleeting kiss. "I have fallen in love with you," he said. "I love you."

Kaoru closed her eyes as she relished the feel of him against her. She placed her cheek against his chest. "Since when?" she asked.

"I don't know," he answered. "Since you got me to open up to you. Since before that. It's immaterial to me. I only know the present… and I can only hope for the future." His eyes searched hers for an answer.

"I love you too," she said. "Since… I don't know when, either," she said, half laughing.

"We have a lot to talk about, but… I'm glad that I managed to get out the most important part," he said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I have been working up the nerve all day to tell you that."

"Well, you should know. You can tell me anything," she said, tracing his strong jaw with her fingertips.

"Well, this isn't just anything," he murmured as he lowered his head for another kiss, this time a lingering one, which Kaoru returned, savoring his scent that wrapped itself around her, making her lose awareness of everything else except for the pressure of his lips against hers and the feel of his hands at the small of her back and the nape of her neck. She sighed contentedly, and gave a small sound of protest when he drew back.

He smiled at her openly, and it was a change from the half smile which he used to favor her every now and then. "What, you want more?" he teased. He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. "I do, too, but if I don't stop now, I might not be able to stop myself completely and we are at a roadside."

Kaoru blushed, and this time, Aoshi laughed. Then he grew serious. "You see, I have been wishing for this so much during the past few days." He dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I have never been attracted to anyone before. A lot of things are new to me. Forgive me if I was a little clumsy…"

"Aoshi, every minute that passes endears you more to me," Kaoru said. She reached up to touch his cheek. "Never mind if you are clumsy, or if you have a difficult time saying how you feel. I think I'm getting better and better at understanding you without the words."

"You are," he said. He engulfed her in another embrace. "I cannot thank the heavens enough for sending you here to Kyoto. You have been a blessing to me."

At this statement, they both froze as their thoughts arrived at one subject. Their eyes met and they uttered a single word. "Misao."

Kaoru's elated feelings came crashing down. "Misao," she repeated. "What will she say?"

End of chapter.

* * *

There! Thanks for all those who reviewed, and waited... sorry it took so long. This story is winding up to a close, perhaps 3-4 more chapters. I'll try to update as soon as I can. I'll finish this story, slowly but surely. Thanks again... -zai 


	15. Utterly Lost in Love and Friendship

Here is hte next chapter! I'm sorry it took so long to update. I hope I still have readers out there. Forgive me if this seems a bit detached from my previous chapters, they're years apart in the making. I tried to keep up the style, though. Enjoy. I see 3 to 4 more chapters until the ending.

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

Kaoru wrapped her robe tighter around her small frame as she watched Aoshi sling the sheath of his kodachi over his shoulder

Hello everybody! I've been absent for more than a year. Here is the next installment, I hope I still have readers out there. Forgive me if this chapter seems a little detached from the previous chapters, they were years apart in the making though I tried hard to make the style seem continuous. I'm working on the next chapter. Probably three more chapters to go til the end.

Standard disclaimers apply.

Kaoru wrapped her robe tighter around her small frame as she watched Aoshi sling the sheath of his kodachi over his shoulder. Her insides were a mixture of odd feelings. There was a deep-seated affection for the man standing in front of her, a heavy feeling of worry as he was about to set out on an assignment, and a continuous gnawing feeling that ate at the edge of her conscience as she thought of Misao.

"What are you thinking?" Aoshi asked as he faced her, all prepared to depart.

"Nothing," Kaoru said, shrugging. "A lot of things. Aoshi…"

He closed the distance between them and placed a finger against her lips. "Ssh, I know your worries," he said tenderly.

"Then why ask me about it in the first place?" she asked him, closing her eyes and leaning into his chest.

He chuckled. "Because I think you need to voice them out before I leave you here alone."

She looked up at him. "I wish you didn't have to go right away. Right after we…"

"I feel the same way," he said.

They had spent the night together, a night full of talks, of kisses and caresses, and of rest. No, they had not done anything dishonorable or improper. Kaoru would not have allowed it, and she knew Aoshi wouldn't try to. She knew it even when she felt the restrain in his hands as he simply held her, and the hint of wanting that he tried to cover with his steadfast gaze. She knew it the same way she knew that Aoshi would do everything he can to make things right. 

_Which is why I'm very frustrated with the timing of this particular assignment,_ Kaoru thought, frowning. 

Her frown earned her another chuckle from Aoshi. "You don't believe me?" he asked her.

"Of course I do, Aoshi," she said. "I just can't believe the timing of this assignment, that is all. Will it be dangerous?"

He took her hands in his. "Well, if you consider rounding up a group of counterfeiters dangerous. All I'm going after are a group of book keepers and some bodyguards. It carries some risk, but I am always careful."

"And you'll be back this afternoon?"

"Yes, early evening at the latest."

She still held on to the sleeve of his coat, and was surprised to see him roll his eyes. "Well, I didn't think you'd know how to do that," she said, loosening her grip. "Rolling your eyes."

"Well, I didn't expect it would be so hard to take my leave of you," he said, dropping a final kiss on her forehead. "No wonder you got to stop Himura from wandering. Don't worry about me, Kaoru. I shall be back later, then we will take care of other things. You are working at the Shirobeko today?"

She nodded, finally stepping away from him. "You have a good day, Aoshi."

"I will see you later. I love you, Kaoru," he added softly, giving in to a smile before turning away.

She sighed, unsuccessfully keeping herself from smiling. "I love you too, Aoshi," she said, a light bow of his head the only indication that he heard her. She watched him as he walked down the road, until he rounded the bend and was no longer visible.

It was early in the morning, and the sun's lip was just appearing over the horizon. No one was on the road yet. Kaoru wasn't sure if she wanted to be seen by Okina or the other members of the Aoiya holding onto Aoshi. A part of her wanted their secret to be discovered, but a greater part of her longed to see Misao and tell her friend about what she was feeling.

Kaoru turned around and made her way back into the Aoiya, gathering her things and preparing to bathe. She had talked it over with Aoshi the previous night and it made perfect sense when he suggested that he be the one to talk to Misao.

_It should have been so simple, to fall in love with him and everything would fall into place,_ Kaoru thought to herself, pulling on her Shirobeko uniform after bathing. _It is a challenge in itself to get Aoshi to open up to someone. It is another challenge to get Misao to understand how things happened._ _Why am I scared of Misao all of a sudden?_

Needless to say, she spent the entire day at the Shirobeko lost in her own thoughts. By lunch time, Sae had noticed enough to offer Kaoru the rest of the day off.

"Go home early? Iie, iie, Sae-san," Kaoru said, waving her hands to brush off her employer's concern. "I am very sorry for not being able to concentrate so well. A lot of things in my head, eh…"

"Maybe you're still tired from your illness," Sae said.

"That was days ago," Kaoru said. She gave Sae one of her winning smiles. "I will just take a few minutes to rest in the kitchen, then I'll come back to wait on tables. I'm okay, Sae-san. Thank you for your concern."

"All right, take a break," Sae said a little doubtfully.

Kaoru walked to the kitchen, and as soon as she was out of sight, she yanked off her apron in frustration and sat down on one of the crates, blowing her bangs out of her face. Her hair had already come loose from the cap she was wearing.

"This is great, Kaoru," she muttered to herself. "After telling Misao not to get so worked up about some guy, you're doing the same thing… about the same guy! Some fix you've gotten yourself into…"

The soft fall of footsteps warned her that someone was coming her way. After a few seconds, Emi came into view. "Kaoru-san," she said in greeting. "I saw you come out here and I thought you might want to have something to soothe you." She handed Kaoru a cup of tea.

"Arigato, Emi-san," Kaoru said gratefully. "I just needed a moment to collect my thoughts."

"Can I be of help?" Emi asked.

"That is good of you, but it's about something at home," Kaoru said, not thinking that she had already considered the Aoiya her home.

"At home," Emi said, nodding knowingly. "Is it about that handsome man who comes to fetch you after work so often?"

"Oh, no," Kaoru said, feeling herself blush. "I'm all right, Emi-san. I'll be back inside in a moment."

"If you insist," Emi said, giving her an encouraging smile. The other girl got up and returned to the restaurant.

Kaoru finished her tea, noting that it was one of the better tasting green teas she had tried. _My, Aoshi's rubbing off on me already,_ she thought to herself, laughing. She took a deep breath and fixed her cap. The more resilient part of her nature was taking charge. _If Aoshi can put aside his personal concerns and attend to his work, then I am perfectly capable of doing the same thing._ She put on her apron and entered the restaurant with resolve.

* * *

Kaoru returned to the Aoiya to find its occupants in a festive mood. Okina in particular was cheerful. "Misao's returning tonight," he said gleefully.

"Oh!" Kaoru felt a mixture of relief and apprehension at the news. She forced a smile. "You must really miss her, even after just a week, Okina-san! I must admit it's been quiet the past week."

"Misako prepared a dinner worthy of a whole army," Okina said, laughing. "We might have a party tonight."

"In that case, I'd better change my clothes and make myself look presentable," Kaoru said, laughing along with the old man. It was hard not to be affected by his enthusiasm.

She went to get one of her better looking kimonos, a dark blue one with a floral pattern at the hem and sleeves. _With Misao back, Aoshi and I will be able to work things out with her._ With that thought, she slowed down and sat on her heels. What concerned her about the situation was that she still wasn't sure how Misao felt about Aoshi.

_It's true that she admitted he might never love her as a woman, but the child in her is still holding on to that small ray of hope.__ What will happen to her if she discovers that the supposed love of her life has fallen in love with somebody else, somebody she considers one of her few friends?_

It would have been easier if she hadn't come to Kyoto with the reason to help Misao get over Aoshi. It would have been better if she and Aoshi had met at some other place, not at the Aoiya where he shared a home with Misao.

She quickly changed her clothes, and pulled her hair into a tidy ponytail. The afternoon sun was beginning to set, and she remembered that Aoshi should be getting back any minute. She went downstairs to wait in the kitchen, but seeing Misako busy preparing more food for dinner, she excused herself and wandered to the back garden.

She sat down on the porch, on the same spot where she and Aoshi had sat when she was recovering from her illness. She smiled at the memory, at the hint of affection he was beginning to show at that time. Then she frowned. _He should be getting back at this time already…_

As if on cue, someone sat down on the back porch next to her. "Aoshi!" Kaoru cried, knowing his clean scent by heart. "You're back!"

"Obviously," he said, mocking her. "I did tell you I would be back."

She wanted to throw her arms around him to convince herself that he was back and unhurt, but she restrained herself. _Now is not the time,_ she scolded herself. She settled instead on giving his arm a gentle squeeze. "I'm so relieved," she said.

Aoshi smiled at the restrain in her greeting. "Yes, I can see it in the enthusiasm of your arm pat," he said, laughter leaking into his voice.

Kaoru's gentle squeeze turned into a viselike grip as she made a show of shoving him away. "Mou!" she said, pretending to pout then dissolving into laughter on her own. "I'll get you back for that," she warned him.

"I am looking forward to it," he replied. He reached into his coat pocket. "In the meantime, Kaoru, here's a little souvenir I was able to bring back for you." He pulled out a silver ribbon and handed it to her, his fingers grazing hers lightly as they lingered on her palm a little longer than necessary.

Kaoru held the ribbon in her hand. "This material is exquisite, Aoshi! Thank you for remembering me."

"Well, I was a little late in returning, and I was afraid you'd strangle me with all your other ribbons unless I had something to make amends with," he said softly as he snaked his arm around her waist to bring her closer to him. He turned his head so he could breathe in her scent, touching her shoulder with his lips.

"Of course I wouldn't do that," she said. "At least, I would try not to… Aoshi, someone might see us."

He immediately withdrew, and Kaoru resisted the urge to look over her shoulder. "Misao is set to come back today," Aoshi said quietly.

"I know." Their backs were to the back door of the Aoiya, and Kaoru slowly reached over to grasp his hand in hers. "Have you thought about what we will say to her?"

He nodded. "I will talk to her alone, Kaoru. That would be better. Don't worry about it. Misao can be hard-headed sometimes but she was never deaf to reasoning, even when she was a child."

"Then I'll leave it to you," she said. "Let's go back inside?"

He stood up and helped her to her feet. Before turning around, Kaoru reached up to tie her new ribbon around her ponytail. She turned for his approval when she was done.

"Beautiful," he murmured as he steered her back into the Aoiya. "Always so beautiful."

Kaoru couldn't stop smiling. "You always know the right thing to say."

He stopped abruptly right before they entered the Aoiya, and he held the door closed with his hand while with his other hand he pulled her to him. Giving a quick glance around the back yard to make sure that they were alone, Aoshi bent forward and caught her lips in a kiss.

Kaoru welcomed his lips gladly, her left hand coming up to support the back of his neck while her other hand rested lovingly on his cheek. Her lips parted slightly, allowing him to taste her tongue briefly before she allowed him full access as he deepened their kiss.

Aoshi pulled back slightly, looking at her with so much desire that Kaoru felt her knees weaken. "Kaoru…" he murmured. "It is hard for me to… we shouldn't, not here."

"Not here," she agreed, a deeper meaning in her words. He looked at her, and she nodded at his unspoken question. "In… in my room, Aoshi. I just need a few moments with you, alone."

He nodded, silently opening the door into the Aoiya. He led her quietly through the still empty hallways into her room, sliding the door shut behind them. As soon as the door slid close, their lips came together in another hungry kiss. Kaoru's senses swam as Aoshi sucked at her bottom lip, giving it a light nip before his lips traveled along her jaw bone to whisper his love in her ear.

"I love you too," she murmured as he then dropped light kisses down her neck, stopping at the neckline of her kimono. He raised a hand to touch her skin there, hesitating a little, before pulling her to him again and consuming her lips with another kiss.

Kaoru breathed in his scent, wanting to be enveloped by it until she knew nothing else. Her hand traveled down his strong chest, wanting to take off the coat that was keeping her from touching his skin. Her hand wandered to his shoulder, then down his arm.

Aoshi chuckled lightly, as he shifted his hold on her, his lips never leaving hers for a second. Kaoru ran a hand through his hair, fingers tangling with the silky black strands, wanting him to kiss her more deeply if that was at all possible. He understood what she wanted and was about to deepen their kiss further when a voice downstairs practically jolted them out of their skins.

"Minna-san! I'm back!"

End of Chapter.

* * *

That's it. I'm working on the next chapter. 


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